The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) sitting in Abuja has ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is at liberty to decide the mode of transmission of election results.
The tribunal chairman, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, said in a ruling on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, that the provisions of Section 52 and Section 65 of the Electoral Act give INEC the discretion to choose the mode of transmission of election results.
“By the provision of Section 52 and Section 65 of the Electoral Act, INEC is at liberty to prescribe the manner in which result can be transmitted. INEC cannot be compelled to electronically transmit result,” he said.
The ruling was made in response to a petition filed by Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who challenged the election of President Bola Tinubu. Obi had argued that INEC had reneged on its promise to transmit election results electronically.
