INEC, Actually Told Us, Results Will Be Collated Manually

 The Independent National Electoral Commission has said the collation of results of the 2023 general elections will be done manually despite the adoption of electronic transmission of results.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, stressed that the commission would transmit results from polling units to its result-viewing portal, IReV, as witnessed in recent elections, but that the Electoral Act was clear on how collation should be done.

Okoye said in an interview with our correspondent on Saturday, “There is a marked difference between the transfer/transmission of results and the collation of results. Section 50(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022 gives the commission the absolute discretion to determine the mode and procedure of voting in an election and the transmission of election results.

“Sections 60 and 62 of the Electoral Act govern post-election procedure and collation of election results. Section 60(1) of the Act provides that the presiding officer shall, after counting the votes at a polling unit, enter the votes scored by each candidate in a form to be prescribed by the commission

Section 60(5) of the Act makes it mandatory that the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot in a manner prescribed by the commission. Thereafter, the presiding officer shall after recording and announcing the results deliver the same along with election materials under security and accompanied by the candidates or their polling agents, where available to such person as may be prescribed by the commission.

“The implication of this is that the collation process of results is still essentially manual, but the collation officer must collate subject to his verification and confirmation that the number of accredited voters stated on the collated result are correct and consistent with the number of accredited voters recorded and transmitted directly from polling units.”

He explained that while the collation of results would “essentially” be done manually, where there was a dispute regarding a collated result or the result from any polling unit, the collation or returning officer would use the original of the disputed collated result, accreditation data from the BVAS device and the results transmitted directly from the polling unit to determine the correctness of the result.

#nigeriadecides2023: Natasha Akpoti Loses Kogi Central Senatorial Seat To APC

 Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has lost her bid to represent Kogi central senatorial district in the national assembly.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was defeated by Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the just concluded national assembly election.

Rotimi Ajayi, INEC returning officer for Kogi central senatorial district, announced the result on Tuesday, in the Okene area of the state.

He said Sadiku-Ohere garnered 52,132 votes to beat Natasha who had 51,763 votes.


“Engineer Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere of the APC having scored the highest votes in the election for the Kogi central senatorial seat is hereby declared winner, and is therefore returned elected,” Ajayi said.

Supporters of the APC candidate were seen in jubilation after the result was declared, chanting “we have won”.

On Thursday, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Kogi government of trying to disenfranchise voters in the state

She alleged that the government carried out a road excavation around Ihima, Okehi LGA of the state to influence voters’ turnout for the just-concluded presidential and national assembly elections.

But the Kogi government had said the excavation was a security measure.

INEC Moves Results Collation, To Resume 3:30 Pm

 

2023 Presidential: Peter Obi Floors Atiku, Tinubu, Kwankwaso In Anambra

 APC - 5111

LP - 584621
NNPP - 1967
PDP - 9036

Obasanjo To Buhari: Tension Is Building, Let Compromised Polls Be Redone

 Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to take urgent steps to address the concerns raised over the disruptions recorded at some polling units across the country.

Presidential and national assembly election results are currently being announced, but some areas have recorded disruptions, with polls rescheduled in some areas.

There have also been concerns and protests on and off social media platforms over attacks at polling units, non-functionality of the bimodal voter verification system (BVAS), among other incidents recorded.

In a letter on Monday, Obasanjo said Buhari cannot afford to ignore the concerns raised over the electoral process, adding that immediate steps — including rescheduling polls in affected areas — need to be taken.

“Nigerian Brothers and Sisters, greetings to you all. I am constrained to speak at this point. I crave the indulgence of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency General Muhammadu Buhari, to make this statement because I have had opportunity to keep him aware of what I know is happening and the danger looming ahead,” the letter reads.

“On many occasions in the past, I have not hesitated to point out lacuna in the action of the President and his government. But as far as the election issues are concerned, the President has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he will want to leave a legacy of free, fair, transparent and credible elections.

“Until last Saturday night, February 25, 2023, the good and noble plan and preparation for the elections seemed to be going well. For the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a lot of money was spent to introduce Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and the Server for immediate transmission of results from polling units.

“It is no secret that INEC officials, at operational level, have been allegedly compromised to make what should have worked not to work and to revert to manual transmission of results which is manipulated and the results doctored.

“The Chairman of INEC may claim ignorance but he cannot fold his hands and do nothing when he knows that election process has been corrupted and most of the results that are brought outside BVAS and Server are not true reflection of the will of Nigerians who have made their individual choice.

“At this stage, we do not need wittingly or unwittingly to set this country on fire with the greed, irresponsibility and unpatriotic act of those who allegedly gave money to INEC officials for perversion and those who collected the blood money.

“Let me appeal to the Chairman of INEC, if his hands are clean, to save Nigeria from the looming danger and disaster which is just waiting to happen. If the Chairman can postpone elections four days to the election, he can do everything to rectify the errors of the last two days – no BVAS, no result to be acceptable; and no uploading through Server, no result to be acceptable.

“Whereas, BVAS and Servers have been manipulated or rendered inactive, such results must be declared void and inadmissible for election declaration. Chairman INEC, I have thought that you would use this wonderful opportunity to mend your reputation and character for posterity.

“Your Excellency, President Buhari Muhammadu, tension is building up and please let all elections that do not pass the credibility and transparency test be cancelled and be brought back with areas where elections were disrupted for next Saturday, March 4, 2023, and BVAS and Server officials be changed.”

Nokia Changes Iconic Logo To Signal Strategy Shift

 BARCELONA, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Nokia (NOKIA.HE) announced plans on Sunday to change its brand identity for the first time in nearly 60 years, complete with a new logo, as the telecom equipment maker focuses on aggressive growth.

The new logo comprises five different shapes forming the word NOKIA. The iconic blue color of the old logo has been dropped for a range of colours depending on the use.

"There was the association to smartphones and nowadays we are a business technology company," Chief Executive Pekka Lundmark told Reuters in an interview.

He was speaking ahead of a business update by the company on the eve of the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) which opens in Barcelona on Monday and runs until March 2.

After taking over the top job at the struggling Finnish company in 2020, Lundmark set out a strategy with three stages: reset, accelerate and scale. With the reset stage now complete, Lundmark said the second stage is beginning.

While Nokia still aims to grow its service provider business, where it sells equipment to telecom companies, its main focus is now to sell gear to other businesses.

Nokia plans to review the growth path of its different businesses and consider alternatives, including divestment.

Peter Obi Wins Edo State, Tinubu Comes Second

 The Labour Party candidate in Saturday’s presidential election, Peter Obi, has been declared winner in Edo State.

The Independent National Electoral Commission’s state collation officer, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom said Obi polled a total of 331,163 to win the state.

Candidate of All Progressive Congress, Bola Tinubu, scored 144,471 to finish second, Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had 89,585, while Rabiu Kwakwanso of the NNPP scored 2,743, while the ZLP scored 4082.


There was voter apathy in the state as 603, 894 voters were accredited, while 2,501,081 were registered for the exercise. Also, the total valid votes were 581,266, rejected votes were 19,129, and the total votes cast were 600,395.

LP won the presidential election in 12 Local Government Areas of Igueben, Esan Central, Esan North-East, Egor, Esan South-East, Esan West, Uhunmwonde, Orhionmwon, Ovia South-West, Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha and Ovia North-East, while APC won in six LGAs of Owan West, Owan East, Akoko-Edo, Etsako Central, Etsako West and Etsako East.

At the end of the collation, agents of LP, PDP and APC, of the 18 participating political parties, signed the collated results.