Anambra lawyer berates INEC chairman for violating electoral act in conduct of presidential election

An Anambra lawyer, Mr Christopher C. Enemuo has berated the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu over the conduct of last Saturday’s presidential election.

Enemuo said Yakubu violated the country’s electoral act, by not adhering strictly to the use of the Bimodal Voters’ Accreditation System (BVAS), which also stipulates electronic transfer of results from polling units to INEC server.

The lawyer in a press release he signed and made available to journalists in Awka, called for the immediate arrest of Yakubu.

He said: “It is an offence for the INEC chairman not to utilize a tested and trusted electronic gadgets, which is on election guidelines, and statutorily inherent as stated in section 60 of the electoral act.

“Section 60(6) is evidence that a crime has been committed and even prescribes punishment for an offence.

“It was clear to Nigerians that the INEC chairman didn’t receive and announce results in the “manner” prescribed by him through the electoral act.

“The chairman himself accepted having committed this offence when he made it clear before the world that transmissions stopped at a certain level and analogue switched over.

“The culpability of the INEC chairman in the illegality of results and presidential winner announcement is high.

“Therefore I think that the INEC chairman has committed an electoral offence, and he needs to be arrested immediately,” Enemuo said.