Expectations as Nigerians await results of presidential poll

…Collation of results ongoing in states, as NCC opens at 11.00am today

…APC, PDP differ over declaration of results .Ekiti becomes first state to declare results

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

Expectations of Nigerians citizens across the globe and foreigners alike are high as they patiently await the result of last Saturday’s Presidential election held nationwide. However, they may have to wait probably till late Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning for the final results due to certain developments. As at press time, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had postponed activities at the National Collation Centre till today (Monday) due to non- arrival of completed results from the states. Also coupled with the fact that INEC has declared postponement of election in some parts of Anambra, Lagos and Rivers State due to pockets of crisis recorded on Saturday. Recall also that elections were held on Sunday in Benue, Taraba states. The Commission chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, already gave the indication that the final complete result will not be declared until all results from the 36 states and the FCT have been compiled. On Sunday, Prof. Yakubu said that all have to wait till today (Monday) as the National Collation Centre will open at 11.00am for collection of results from states. Prof. Yakubu after declaring open the 2019 Presidential Election Result Collation Center Abuja yesterday, said the Commission still await results from the states. However, INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, warned that people should desist from posting unauthorised results on social media while urging Nigerians to rely on results released by the Commission. He said: “Some PU results are in the public domain. Let me once again reiterate the position of the law that only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can tally figures, announce result and declare winners in our general election. “I urge all stakeholders to strictly adhere to the provisions of the law and be circumspect in this respect. We are doing everything possible to ensure the speedy collation of results and the declaration of winners for the elections conducted on Sunday. Meanwhile, as the nation await the results, there have been allegations and counter allegations from the two leading parties on the results yet undeclared. The major opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fired the first salvo calling on INEC to declare its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, winner of the election. The PDP charged the Independent National Electorate Commission (INEC) to immediately announce results as delivered from the polling units and declare its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the winner of the February 23 Presidential election The party’s position was predicated on what it called clear and verifiable results across the nation, showing that Atiku Abubakar is in clear lead both in spread and total number of votes cast. National Publicity Secretary of PDP and Director of Media & Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan, made this known in a statement on Sunday. “Curiously, INEC server is now shut down, results are no more being transmitted and the reason is to enable the APC to inflate figures from six designated states,” he stated. The PDP called on international observers and election monitors to insist on a transparent process of transmission of results and the monitoring thereof. “We already have reports of how APC governors in the northern states have been making desperate effort to tamper with the results of the elections in their respective states with the view to award conjured votes to President Buhari. “In Kogi State, Governor Yahaya Bello has been making frantic moves to change results to suit APC’s intent and purposes as against the wishes of the people, expressly delivered at the polls. “Nigerians already know how the Minister of Transportation and the Director-General of the Buhari Campaign, Rotimi Amaechi, used the military to hold an INEC official in River state, Mrs. Mary Efeturi, hostage and insisted that she will not be released until she alters the results in favour of President Buhari”, he stated. The party charged the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to note that in this age of Information Communication Technology, Nigerians already have the results as delivered at the polling centers and any attempt to alter any figure will be faced with vehement resistance. “In delaying the announcement of the results, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu is allowing the APC to turn him into a villain and directly pitching him against the people. He should therefore extricate himself from the rejected APC and be on the side of the people, by immediately announcing the results as already delivered at the polling units and declare, the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the winner. “Anything short of this is not acceptable to Nigerians, who had already expressed their wishes and aspiration at the polls”, the party warned. However, the ruling APC asked security agencies to arrest one of PDP Presidential spokesperson, Buba Galadima, for declaring fake results. In a statement by Festus Keyamo, the APC said the PDP is to activate the last strand of their Dubai strategies that have since collapsed like a pack of cards: they plan to release fake results of the Presidential Election later today (Sunday) or early Monday morning that they claim to have compiled themselves. He said the party aim to create crises and confusion that will lead to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar claiming victory in a day or two from today ahead of the official announcement of the results by INEC. “Then, what would follow will be some carefully choreographed protests by pockets of hoodlums in some parts of the country. The ultimate aim is to curry the sympathy of our foreign friends and push us to the Venezuela situation. “Our call is therefore to INEC, NIGERIA BROADCASTING COMMISSION and all law-enforcement agencies to continually warn the PDP and all their surrogates like the amorphous CUPP and their likes that anyone who flouts the law on announcement of official results will be made to face the law. Opposition does not confer immunity on anyone to flout the law. “In preparation for this reckless move, some PDP social media agents are already flying some kites on-line as to the number of States allegedly ‘won’ by PDP. In fact, Alhaji Buba Galadima, an official spokesperson for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has made a short video announcing PDP as the ‘winner’ of the Presidential Election. As an official spokesperson, he is clearly acting on behalf of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and on his instruction. We, therefore call for the immediate arrest, interrogation and prosecution of Alhaji Buba Galadima in this regard. The world is watching and waiting on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to say something on the video by Alhaji Buba Galadima. “Consequently, we urge all well-meaning Nigerians, the International Community and even reasonable members of the Opposition not to be bought by these cheap antics of the PDP. Let’s restrain our wards from being used by these unscrupulous elements. Nigeria will continue to exist after this election”, said Keyamo. But Ekiti State was the first state to declare result of both Presidential and National Assembly polls. The result was said to have been officially declared by Independent National Electoral Commission Returning Officer, Professor Idowu Olayinka, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan. The report said Buhari of the All Progressives Congress polled 219,231 votes, while Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party got 154,032 votes. Also, the All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly won the three senatorial seats in Ekiti State. INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Laide Lawal announced the result early hours of Sunday in Ikere. While the winner scored 77,621 votes, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Sen. Biodun Olujimi polled a total of 53,741 votes. Apart from the APC and PDP, the other parties that participated in the election were Democratic Alliance (DA), Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN), NAC and others.