INEC: Certificate of Return will not be issued for results announced under duress

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that it will not issue certificates of return to any candidate declared winner of an election under duress.

Recall that returning Officer for the Imo West Senatorial District election, Professor Ibeawuchi Innocent, had reported that he declared Governor Rochas Okorocha the winner of the poll under duress.

INEC has now forewarned that it would not tolerate any attempt by politicians to hold its officials hostage and force them to declare winners of elections under duress.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this during the meeting of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) ahead of Saturday elections, held at the commission’s headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.

READ ALSO: Imo APC questions early distribution of electoral materials by INEC

Yakubu said that the commission was worried over the rate of attacks on its personnel and the loss of lives and election materials recorded during the Feb. 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections

“The Commission is concerned that many of our materials, including ballot boxes, voting cubicles, voters’ registers and Smart Card Readers were lost to acts of hooliganism and thuggery in the elections held two weeks ago.

“Most worrisome is the attack on electoral officials. Some of our staff were abducted and taken hostage in an attempt to disrupt elections or influence the outcome.

“In fact, some of the supplementary elections I referred to earlier were caused by such acts of thuggery. I am confident that working together with the security agencies, we will consolidate on the largely peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections while also taking decisive steps to deal with the minority of violators intent on disrupting the conduct of peaceful elections.

“However, the Commission will not tolerate the act of holding our officials hostage and forcing them to declare winners under duress.

“Where such occurs, the Commission will not reward bad behaviour by issuing them Certificates of Return.’’

Yakubu expressed the Commission’s appreciation to the security agencies for securing the environment during the national elections. He noted that in the course of securing the elections, the security agencies, electoral officials and innocent Nigerians suffered needless attacks resulting in casualties including deaths and loss of personal and official properties.

“On behalf of the Commission, I extend our deepest condolence to the families of those who lost their lives, including personnel of the security agencies. We are glad that the Police has made several arrests and investigation is ongoing.

“I wish to assure Nigerians that the Commission will work closely with the Police to ensure the diligent prosecution of all violators of our electoral laws. Situation Room knocks INEC, says 2019 polls a step back.

“Citizens are asking for effective but non-intrusive protection before, during and immediately after the elections in which their rights are respected and their choices safeguarded.’’

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