Only INEC can determine how results can be collated, transmitted – Court

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is empowered by law to determine the mode of collating and transmitting election results.

Justice Emeka Nwite also held that only INEC had the prerogative to direct how a polling unit presiding officer should transfer election results, including the total number of accredited voters and results of the ballot.

Justice Nwite further held that collating and transferring election results manually in the 2023 general elections could not be said to be contrary to the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The judgement was on a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1454/2022 filed by the Labour Party (LP), with INEC as the sole defendant.

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The LP had prayed the court to declare that INEC has no power to opt for a manual method other than the electronic method provided for by the relevant provisions the Electoral Act, 2022.

It urged the court to issue an order compelling INEC to comply with the Electoral Act, 2022 on the electronic transmission of results in the elections.

In the judgement he delivered on January 23, 2023, Nwite held that the plaintiff misconstrued the provisions of the law and proceeded to dismiss the suit. (The Nation)