2027 Elections: Conflicting Results Are Coming From Electronic Transmission And Manual Collation
BY INWALOMHE DONALD
PRESIDENT Tinubu has signed the amended Electoral Act 2026 which allows the electronic transmission of election results and manual collation of results from polling units. With the signing of new electoral act which amended Clause 60(3), permitting the presiding officer at each polling unit to transmit election results electronically after Form EC8A has been duly completed and signed. Under the approved clause, electronic transmission is allowed where the technology does not fail and is possible to use. However, in situations where electronic transmission fails or becomes impossible, the signed Form EC8A will serve as the primary source of election results. Edo 2024 governorship election dispute falls within the approved clause of electronic transmission and manual collation of results. Electronic transfer of results was part of approved INEC guidelines for Edo 2024 election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) printed three sets of Results with same serial number primarily to rig 2024 Edo governorship election. However, after a lengthy legal challenge, the Supreme Court of Nigeria declined to deliver judgment on the 3 sets of results with same serial number and IREV certified results. The “three sets of results”process was intentionally compromised to allow for result manipulation at the collation centers. The “three sets of results” delayed in announcing Edo 2024 election result which created an opportunity to generate multiple versions of results.
The results from certified IREV results sent from polling units during Edo 2024 governorship was completely different from those collated from wards and local governments’ collation centres. Supreme Court judgment on Edo 2024 governorship election ruled that the appellant (PDP) failed to call relevant witnesses to demonstrate some of the evidence he tendered in support of its case, especially the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS machines. However, after a lengthy legal challenge, the Supreme Court of Nigeria declined to deliver judgment on the 3 sets of results with same serial number. The “three sets of results” process was intentionally compromised to allow for result manipulation at the collation centers. The “three sets of results” delayed in announcing Edo 2024 election result which created an opportunity to generate multiple versions of results. It held that some of the proof of evidence which were tendered from the Bar, were merely dumped on the tribunal without establishing alleged non-compliance in 432 out of a total of 4,519 polling units in the state
As at 2018, there was provision for infrastructure for off online of electronic transmission of results. The argument of no network in 2027 elections is completely false and will bring chaos. The outcome of 2027 elections will be determined by conflicting manual collation of fraudulent results and electronic transmission of results which will be useless. Fraudulent manual collation is the only hope of APC led government in 2027. President Tinubu , most state governors and most national assembly members will lose 2027 elections if real time electronic transmission of results is implemented. The combination of electronic transmission and manual collation of election results will undermine Nigeria’s electoral system. The implication of no network and fraudulent manual collation of results is chaos.
It is clear that Manual collation of election results today is used tovalidate electoral fraud by INEC. In Edo 2024 election, 3 fraudulent sets of results with same serial number were printed that poses a danger to Nigeria’s 2027 elections. President Tinubu is afraid of real time electronic transmission of results because he cannot win free and fair election in 2027. APC Members in the national assembly are afraid of real time electronic transmission of results and 30 APC Governors are afraid of free and fair elections in 2027. But President Tinubu is not afraid of electronic registration of APC members. The manipulation of election results goes on in the manual collation centres on election days.
From the Tribunal, Court of Appeal to Supreme Court the CTCs issued by INEC to the results on iREV was staggering. INEC printed three sets of result sheets to substitute the authentic ones. These 3 sets carry the same serial numbers and other security marks, yet the iREV results were signed by party agents, while the CTCs were not.”
The collation and transmission of results of Edo 2024 election with 3 fraudulent sets of results with same serial number pose a danger to Nigeria’s 2027 elections. The 3 sets of results were certified by INEC but the judges from Tribunal to Court of Appeal to Supreme Court declined to rule on the 3 sets of results. Edo 2024 Election 3 sets of miracle results pose a danger to 2027 elections. Are Nigerians going to see another 3 sets of fraudulent results in 2027?
Reports showed that 98.58% (4,455 out of 4,519) of the polling unit results were uploaded by 8:40 am on Sunday. Other reports indicated 98.83% (4,466 out of 4,519) were uploaded by September 27, 2024. While a high percentage was uploaded to the IReV portal, as of September 27, 2024, several days after the election, only 5 out of the 18 local government areas (LGAs) had completely uploaded their results, leaving some units pending.
The Edo 2024 election unit’s results were collated manually, and INEC failed to utilise the election viewing portal (IReV) during the Edo 2024 election, which means INEC compromised the result collation process at some wards and local governments. During the Edo 2024 election, BVAS and IREV did not fail. INEC willfully failed to use or implement IREV and BVAS, which resulted in widespread results collation irregularities that have produced two certified true copies of results from INEC in the Edo Election Tribunal. Nigerians are waiting for the Edo Election Tribunal to restore the 2022 Electoral Act and restore confidence to the judiciary.
INEC has introduced criminality into the conduct of elections. Manual collation of results encourages electoral frauds and manipulations which are threats to 2027 elections. Revelations from Edo 2024 governorship election showed that electoral laws and INEC guidelines were violated and manipulated by INEC. Three sets of Form EC8A, EC8B, EC8C results sheet were fraudulently printed and used for Edo 2024 election with the same serial number. Voting and collation of results have been reduced to business of trade. Credible, free and fair elections can help in consolidating democratic values, promote human rights and security. But fraudulent elections promote political instability, corruption and conflict in the polity.
The Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the INEC IREV issued to the PDP clearly indicate that the PDP won overwhelmingly. Similarly, the CTCs of the BVAS data corroborate the same result. The time stamps on these documents align perfectly with each other, confirming their authenticity. It is important to note that these documents were issued directly by INEC and are not forged in any way. Furthermore, the receipts for the payments made to obtain these CTCs were included as part of the exhibits tendered.
In 2027 elections, Nigerians will not allow INEC and the judiciary to validate electoral fraud. The danger posed by these merchants on the bench sometimes goes to the root of the survival of Nigeria’s democracy, the success of 2027 elections and this is why the Supreme Court recognises that an errant Judge is more dangerous than a thief.
Inwalomhe Donald writes viainwalomhe.donald@yahoo.com
