The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, has again rejected the outcome of the February 25 presidential election and the declaration of the Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress as President-elect.
The PDP also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to suspend the ongoing transmission of results of the polling units results on its server saying it is in total violation of the Electoral Act 2022.
The PDP disclosed this in a protest letter addressed and handed to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, at the commission’s headquarters on Monday in Abuja during at protest march against the result of the presidential election.
The PDP also warned INEC, against the repeat of experiences of the February 25, 2023 ahead of the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.
The PDP while handing the petition to INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman Voter Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, on behalf of the commission, the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu stated, “We call on your commission to suspend the on-going transmission of the polling unit results to your servers which is in complete breach of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
“We reject and declare as unacceptable the outcome, announcement and declaration of the presidential election results.
“To warn your commission against a repeat of the experiences of the February 25 election in the coming governorship and state assembly elections of March 11, 2023. Any attempt to manipulate the electoral process will be vehemently resisted.”
The petition further reads, “We demand an explanation why you proceeded with the declaration of the election results marred with irregularities against all calls to address the complaints brought to your attention before and during the collation process.”
The presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, who led the protest march was flanked by the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and his Taraba State counterpart, Darius Ishaku, former National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, Senator Dino Melaye, former Enugu State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, and former Adamawa State Governor, Boni Haruna, among other party chieftains.
Recall INEC announced the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, returned elected from the Saturday February 25, 2023 elections after defeating the candidates of the PDP and Labour Party, Peter Obi, which both parties kicked against over massive irregularities that marred the election.
The PDP, while detesting and condemning the absurdity and brazen rape of the electoral process, said Nigeria should be seen as a country governed by the rule of law and it is a responsibility that the party collectively owed citizens desirous of entrenching true democratic principles. The party called on all Nigerians both home and in the Diaspora to stand firm in defence of their rights and votes.
It maintained, “We call on all Nigerians to be co-partners in defence of our democracy, votes, the rule of law and their rights to freely choose the candidates of their choice.”
The party further remarked that it was therefore circumspect that despite the agitations by Nigerians and parties during the collation process against the alleged irregularities surrounding the election, the commission however, proceeded with the announcement of the results in utter disregard of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
We are writing to you because we want to bring our grievances and demands formally to your attention for necessary action.
Speaking after receipt of the letter Okoye, stated, “So I have received this protest letter on behalf of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission and I promise you this letter will be transmitted to him.
“If there are remedial issues we will deal with those remedial issues. But I want to assure you that this commission is a listening commission. This commission is a public trust and this commission belongs to the Nigerian people. Our allegiance is to the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This commission does not owe allegiance to any political party,” he said.
