By Magnus Aluma
The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) of ” having deliberately refused to upload the results” of yesterday’s presidential election collated in Lagos and Delta States to the Central Server of the electoral umpire.
In a statement, Abure alleged that INEC officials have connived with security agencies to claim that the BVAS have suddenly developed fault and therefore cannot function.
He said he was reliably informed party members in the field, that in places like Agege, Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Surulere, and Ibeju Lekki, where the Labour Party had won convincingly, INEC officials claimed that the BVAS cannot upload results of the presidential election.
INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu
“Information reaching me has it that in Lagos, they have refused to upload the results for the presidential election, they have uploaded that of the Senate and House of Representatives but for the presidential, they have refused. And they are using the police to drive our agents and supporters out of the place,” he lamented.
Abure further disclosed that the collation centre in Kosofe Local Government Area, was located in the council headquarters controlled by APC, and people were scared, while the electoral officials claimed that INEC Headquarters had instructed them not to upload.
Continuing, he said, “as I speak, APC officials are in Yaba office of INEC negotiating with the officials. What I have said now is happening in Agege, Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Surulere, we have this situation all over. In Ibeju Lekki, our local government chairman who attempted to stop them was arrested by the police.”
The LP boss further alleged that a similar situation is playing out across the collation centres in Delta state, and called on INEC, to ensure that only genuine and verifiable results generated from the various polling units should be uploaded.
He, therefore, urged the police to help to protect Nigeria’s democracy, and urged them to always resist the temptation being lured by politicians to mar the gains of democracy in the country.
But in a swift reaction, INEC’s Head of Department of Voter Education and Publicity in Ebonyi State, Dr Christian Elekwa described the statement as a blatant falsehood. He said that as an independent umpire, the electoral body cannot collaborate with anybody or and party for whatever reason.
According to him: “INEC is a neutral body, we don’t depend on anybody or any party in any way. So, that allegation is totally false and damaging.” Dr Elekwa urged the leadership of the Labour Party, LP, to channel their grievances to the INEC, adding that the electoral body must upload all election results to the central server as required by the Electoral Act.
