The electoral body said it has been drawn to a report titled, ‘INEC’s credibility sinks as 94% contested posts awaits tribunals.’
In this file photo, an Independent National Electoral Commission official uses a Bimodal Voter Accreditation System to check the details of a voter at a polling station in Maiduguri on February 25, 2023, during Nigeria’s presidential and general election. The Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday said it is inappropriate to rate the 2023 general polls by the number of petitions filed in courts.
“The said report analysed the total number of petitions as if they were filed against the outcome of the election in 94% of all the elective positions without considering details of the cases,” the statement read. “Multiple petitions were filed by candidates and political parties as petitioners in a single constituency. Therefore, the number of election petitions filed in respect of all elective offices will certainly outnumber the total number of constituencies/election offices.“Many of the petitioners did not challenge the conduct of the elections by INEC but the eligibility of candidates or their nomination by political parties. Under the law, INEC has no power to screen candidates.
“A comparative analysis would have addressed the deliberate effort in the report to portray the 2023 general elections as regressive on account of litigation without empirical evidence. “Over the last three electoral cycles, the number of election petitions may be rising but not the number of upturned elections.”