Former assistant secretary of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Midat Joseph, has threatened to sue the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), if the real result of the Kaduna governorship election is not uploaded on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) within one week.
The election observer and publisher of Kakaki Reporters described the Kaduna gubernatorial election as a charade, stating that different election results were uploaded on the IREV.
Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, Joseph called for the prosecution of the perpetrators of electoral fraud, insisting that INEC should review the entire results of the election in Kaduna.
He observed that Kaduna people’s votes did not reflect in the IReV, as the certified copies with political parties’ agents were entirely different from what the commission uploaded.
He said: “The commission should review the results because it is the INEC staff that are aiding politicians to rig the elections. In Makera Ward of Kaduna South Local Council, soldiers took over the collation centre and journalists were denied entrance.”
“This country must be salvaged because many people may no longer want to vote if this kind of injustice is allowed to stand. This crime cannot be allowed to go freely. If such injustice is not addressed, I will go to court to ensure that those who perpetrated such evil are prosecuted.”
According to him, irregularity is spread across more than 20 polling units in the Kaduna governorship and House of Assembly election results.
“If this democracy must thrive, the sanctity of the ballot must be upheld at all times. We cannot continue this violation of democracy and expect a better society. Those, who perpetrated this crime against our democracy must not be allowed to escape the long arm of the law. I choose to speak because of my strong belief in a better Nigeria. We can’t get things right by keeping quiet in the face of lawlessness.
“I plead with INEC to do the needful by reviewing the Makera Ward results to reflect the wishes of the electorate,” Joseph added.
