Court Orders INEC to Electronically Transmit Results of Nigeria Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections

A Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit the results of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections in accordance with its regulations and guidelines.

The judgment was made following a suit filed by the Labour Party, its governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom, Uduakobong Udoh, and 13 state house of assembly candidates for the March 18 elections. The applicants had sued INEC for failing to paste election results at polling units and to upload scanned election results on the IREV through the BVAS during the presidential election held on February 25, 2023.

They argued that INEC’s refusal to act had resulted in serious prejudice and had created uncertainty and frustration. INEC had denied most of the facts and asked the court to dismiss the suit. However, Justice Obiora Egwuatu granted an order of Mandamus compelling INEC to comply with the regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the governorship and houses of assembly elections in Akwa Ibom State on March 18, 2023.

The court ordered INEC to mandatorily paste the publication of result poster EC60 (E) at the polling units, electronically transmit or transfer the results of the polling units directly to the collation system, and use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to upload a scanned copy of the EC8A to the respondent’s (INEC’s) Result Viewing Portal (IReV) immediately after the completion of all polling units’ voting and results procedures.

The court also ordered INEC to engage the services of independent, competent, and reliable logistic companies who are non-partisans or known supporters of any political party for the distribution of electoral materials and personnel in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2022.

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