Six States of the federation have dragged the Federal government before the Supreme Court over the conduct, collation and announcement of the February 25, 2023, presidential and National Assembly elections.
The States, which include Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Sokoto, are asking the Supreme Court to declare that the pronouncement of Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, as the winner of the February 25 presidential election is null and void. The aggrieved states argued that the entire results of the Presidential Election announced by the Chairman of INEC at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, is in flagrant violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act.
According to the court papers, the states are seeking a declaration that the non-uploading of the results of each of the 176,974 Polling Units nationwide, in respect of the presidential election and National Assembly Elections were not in accordance with the provisions of the electoral act.
Part of their requests include;
“A declaration that the entire results of the Presidential Election conducted on the 25th of February, 2023 announced by the Chairman of INEC at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, in flagrant violation of the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the Presidential Election, were invalid, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.
A declaration that the fundamentally flawed electoral process through the non-uploading of the results of each of the 176,974 Polling Units nationwide, in respect of the presidential election and National Assembly Elections held on Saturday, 25th February 2023 were not in accordance with the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election
In addition, they are seeking ;
“A declaration that the failure of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Result to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after the counting and announcement of the Polling Units results on 25th of February, 2023 in collusion, violates the provision of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.”
They are also seeking an order from the apex court “directing a holistic review of all results so far announced by the Federal Government of Nigeria through INEC which were carried out other than through the manner prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials. And for such further Orders as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”
The plaintiffs also brought an application praying the apex court for an order directing a departure from the rules of the apex court in the interest of justice by directing for an accelerated hearing of the substantive suit.
Besides, plaintiffs also filed another application seeking for an order for abridging time for parties to file and serve responses for and against the suit. No date has been fixed for the hearing.
Recall that on Wednesday, March 1, INEC declared Tinubu as the winner of the election. The electoral body has also issued Tinubu the certificate of return.
