Voters can wait to hear result at polling booths, Jega declares

INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega: Voters can wait for election results at polling booths 

The Chairman of Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega has come out to clear the air on the controversy surrounding the statement credited to the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, warning voters to go back to their homes after casting their votes on election days.

Speaking on a national television station’s programme monitored by The Mega StarNews this morning (Friday), Prof Jega stated categorically that contrary to the IGP purported order, voters who wish to know the results of their polling booth could wait to do so.

According to Jega, as long as the voters could behave themselves and not constitute loitering, they are free to wait around their respective polling booths.

“It is clear in our provision that as soon as the last person on the queue casts his or her vote, collation of votes begins. If you finish casting your vote and you are interested in knowing the results of your polling booths, you are allowed to wait, but you should be aware that you must not do anything that could constitute the act of loitering.” Jega explained.

Nigerians casting their votes

The Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, had Thursday warned voters to go back to their homes after casting their votes on election days.

Abba, who addressed accredited observers for the   general elections in Abuja, said the possibility of committing electoral offence was very high   if voters stayed back at the polling booths for votes to be counted.

He said that each polling unit would have at least two or three policemen to protect the votes   cast by the electorate.

The IG said, ‘‘Two to three police officers will be attached to each polling unit, and we would provide more officers for the collation centres and for the managers of the elections.

“We will go on to protect the electorate. Every eligible voter should feel safe enough to cast his votes. We will be there to protect the votes and make sure no one disrupts the process.

“Cast your votes and go and cool down. If you remain there, there is likelihood that you will commit an offence.’’

The police chief   advised political parties and their candidates to abide by “one agent to a polling unit,” which the electoral act stipulates.

“Asking voters to wait and protect their votes implies taking the law into their own hands. It is unacceptable,” he said.

Abba said the police were aware of threats by some politicians to declare parallel election results and warned that his men would deal with such act within the ambit of the law.

He added, “We have heard some people are threatening to declare election results; we hope it is not true. If you don’t accept the declared result by INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission), the best way is to proceed to the tribunal.

However, many Nigerians have disagreed with the IGP’s stand as they submitted that Nigerians should wait and defend their votes.  According to them, the Nigerian police can no longer be trusted since past antecedents in previous polls show their eagerness and supports for the "polithiefcians."

 A respondent simply identified as Omoyoba said, “Anyway, if Abba really wants Nigerian voters to trust him and his men in uniform that they will monitor the polls on our behalf, let Abba first resign as Inspector General of Police for the whole of the days that elections will be conducted and results announced so that he will cease to be an agent of Mr President who happens to be one of the candidates in the elections over which he is presiding.

“The resignation of Abba will make him not to be unduly subjected to Mr President's direct order during the whole period the conduct of the elections will last and results announced, the same way Brigadier General Momoh was subjected to the direct order of Mr President through Obanikoro during the last Ekiti gubernatorial election.

“But if Abba still remains as the IG and making himself subject to one of the candidates in the same election, Jonathan, no sane Nigerian will ever entrust him and his men with the protection of our hard-earned votes. Then, we shall wait behind and conduct ourselves peacefully after the election so that our votes are not stolen. Period!