Shocking revelations have exposed a brewing catastrophe within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as they now express deep regret over the declaration of the presidential election result in favor of Bola Tinubu. It has been disclosed that the documents and results to substantiate their dubious declaration simply do not exist, leaving INEC in a state of panic and helplessness. Disturbingly, it has become painfully clear that it is far too late for them to resort to manufacturing fraudulent electoral documents or results for the ongoing election tribunal.
Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, took to the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja to present his harrowing ordeal in accessing crucial electoral documents from INEC. Obi, who secured the third position in the February election, is vehemently contesting the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu, citing gross manipulation by INEC in favor of the incumbent.
During the latest hearing of Obi’s petition, his lawyer, Livy Uzoukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), dropped a bombshell, revealing that INEC had “stubbornly refused to produce 70 percent of the electoral documents” requested by the Labour Party. Uzoukwu specifically highlighted the unavailability of electoral documents relating to the polls in Rivers and Sokoto States, with INEC officials outrageously demanding a staggering N1.5 million fee to process the documents for Sokoto State alone.
Rivers State stands out as a shocking example, as the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner audaciously declared that they possess no form EC8, an essential document, for Obi’s team to review. This blatant denial of access flies in the face of two previous court rulings that specifically directed INEC to grant the Labour Party access to crucial electoral documents, including the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machines employed during the presidential poll.
Uzoukwu further revealed that multiple letters were sent to INEC chairman, Yakubu Mahmood, pleading for access to inspect and obtain relevant electoral documents to strengthen the petitioner’s case. However, INEC’s lawyer, Abubakar Mahmoud, a SAN, claimed the commission’s willingness to cooperate with all parties, while pointing out that Obi’s legal team failed to attend a scheduled meeting aimed at resolving document-related issues. These conflicting accounts have only added to the frustration and despair of those seeking transparency and justice.
In an unexpected twist, the lead lawyer for the APC, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, aligned with INEC’s stance on access to electoral documents, expressing willingness to accept official documents tendered by INEC during the hearing. However, he made it clear that objections may arise in relation to other documents, providing reasons and arguments for consideration before judgment. Similarly, Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, assured that access to documents from INEC posed no concerns for their legal team.
As the court adjourned proceedings until 19 May, the gravity of the situation became increasingly apparent. The panel’s chairman, Haruna Tsammani, urged all lawyers involved to address pending applications before the next adjourned date, emphasizing that the pre-hearing session would span 14 days. The eyes of the nation remain fixated on this pivotal case, as the truth behind the electoral debacle unravels, leaving Nigerians devastated, disgusted, and demanding urgent action to rectify this gross miscarriage of justice.
Time is of the essence, and the urgency to unearth the missing documents and expose the truth intensifies with each passing day. The monumental crisis brewing within INEC has ignited a nationwide outcry, as citizens grapple with the frustrating reality that their voices may have been silenced, their votes manipulated, and their democratic rights trampled upon. The truth must prevail, and those responsible for this disgraceful affront to democracy must be held accountable.
