JOE EFFIONG, UYO
The All Progressives Congress candidate for Abak./Etim Ekpo/Ika federal constituency of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Clement Jimbo, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of colluding with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the coming supplementary election scheduled for April 15, 2023.
The commission had declared the February 25 election inconclusive in the area, even as the APC candidate said he scored a majority of votes and beat the next contestant, being Mr Aniekan Umana of the PDP with a margin of 2.962 votes.
However, Inibehe Effiong of the Inibehe Effiong Chambers, the lawyer to the candidate, in a petition to the Chairman of INEC, said the commission did not declare and return elected his client despite the margin of victory over the other candidates, but went ahead to say that the election was inconclusive.
“Our client is mended to alert of the of the ongoing devious efforts by some compromised elements within the commission, acting in collaboration with some corrupt leaders and interested persons within the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State, to engage in dubious sinister and illegal effort and actions which are geared towards the forthcoming supplementary election in our client’s federal constituency with the singular agenda of concocting inflated, fraudulent and fictional figures and votes in order to suppress, surpass and undermine the existing wide margin of 2962 in favour our client and the PDP the leeway to steal the election
“Apart from this fraudulent scheme, a plan has been hatched by some officials of the commission acting in concert with their sponsors in the PDP to illegally increase the number of polling units where the supplementary election is to be held in the federal constituency.
“This fraudulent scheme has now been substantiated by a worrisome publication on the commission’s website to the effect that the April15, 2023 supplementary election for Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika federal constituency will be held in 25 polling units for supplementary election.
“Our client’s fears have been further confirmed by the fact that some of the polling units listed in the publication were added arbitrarily, despite the fact that election took place in the units and votes were scored, counted, recorded, declared, signed by agents of various political parties and even transmitted to INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV).” The lawyer said in his petition.
On his part, the candidate, Mr Jimbo, said out of the 25 listed polling units, Form EC40G (Record of Election not held/Cancelled at Polling Unit Level) was filled and uploaded on the IReV in only 14 polling units documenting the reasons why election did not take place or was cancelled in the said 14 units (elections disrupted).
After listing those polling units that election had taken place and those disrupted, Jimbo said; “From the above provisions of the Electoral Act, it is clear that the plan to hold supplementary election in polling units where election took place or where the process was concluded or where no reason has been given for supplementary elections in Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, is not only sinister and illegal, but part of a well-orchestrated scheme by compromised officials within the Commission to manipulate the election in favour of the PDP.
“The belief of those behind this evil scheme, is that the more polling units they illegally conscript into the supplementary election, the better their chances of upending the electoral fortunes of our client who is leading by 2,962 votes.
“We have been reliably informed of a plan to compromise the integrity of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) across the polling units where the supplementary election is to take place. The gravamen of this scheme, based on information available to us, is to preload BVAS machines in at least three polling units with higher number of registered voters to aid in the rigging of the election.
“We are also aware of plans to bribe key officials of the Commission, particularly Presiding Officers (POs), Electoral Officers (EOs), Collation Officers and the Returning Officer, who will take part in the supplementary election in the federal constituency.”
He asked for the review of polling units that supplementary election is to take place in line with the provision of Section 24 of the Electoral Act so that polling units where election had been concluded and results announced be excluded.
He also asked for the removal of the electoral officer for Etim Ekpo LGA, alleging that there are troubling indications that the neutrality of the officer has been undermined.
Jimbo also called on INEC to examine the BVAS machines to be used in the supplementary election in the constituency to ensure that the integrity of the default component of the BVAS have not been compromised.
“The commission should reiterate to the presiding officer who will participate in the election, the necessity of uploading, transferring or transmitting the results on the IReV in real time.” He demanded.