Election Results: Abuja Protesters Speak On Demands

A group of protesters has spoken after marching to the International Conference Center in Abuja, the venue of the presidential collation centre to demand the electronic transmission of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The protesters, on Tuesday, said they were members of different political parties who gathered to express their dissatisfaction over the inability of INEC to upload real-time election results on its portal.

One of the protesters, Ilemona Onoja, said the process as promised by the INEC to transmit results online “was not followed”, which is why they protested.

“We came out on the 25th of February to cast our votes for our preferred candidates.

“We were told that a process was going to be followed.

“This process involves accreditation, voting, and our ballots will be counted,” Onoja said.

“After it has been counted, it will be transmitted directly to a central server.

“And that on the day of the election, at the national collation centre, that central server will be displayed and we will be able to follow the results.

“Now, all we are saying is, we don’t mind if our preferred candidate loses, just give us a transparent and open process.

“Let us be able to see the results. INEC promised us they will follow a certain procedure, we are asking them to follow it.”

Also speaking, another angry protester, Barrister Lillian Kozau, called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow his image to be tarnished and his legacy destroyed by the INEC.

“INEC assured us that it would be a transparent process.

“They assured us of a transparent process and that the BVAS would be used, which is supposed to be an electronic process.

“Yet, after three days, 23 states still need to be uploaded. Why? Does this mean we will be doing this for one week?", she queried.