The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has  dismissed claims of discrepancies between the results on its website and those presented by returning officers at the National Collation Centre, which were broadcast live.

The commission stated this in letter dated Aug. 15 to the Centre for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ), which alleged to have found some discrepancies between the election results announced by INEC and the uploaded results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV).

INEC in the letter signed by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, said that there was are no “differences” in the number of polling units and registered voters in the listed States.

INEC also maintained that the total number of polling units and registered voters remained as announced by the commission.

The commission said that it “does not announce election results on YouTube” adding that  the 2023 presidential election results were announced at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, in the presence of stakeholders, including the media.

“You listed three YouTube video links from Channels Television, showing the interactions between the State Returning Officers of Imo, Abia, and Zamfara States and the INEC Chairman at the National Collation Centre, Abuja.

“It is important to note that the Returning Officers of the 36 States of the FCT are required to present their presidential election result individually to the Chief Returning Officer of the Federation for the Presidential election, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who is also the INEC Chairman.

“But contrary to your observations, there were no contradictions in the video clips.

“In conformity with the established procedure, the Returning Officer, in each clip, announced in descending order, the total valid votes, rejected votes, total votes cast, cancelled votes (if any), the specific areas where such votes were cancelled, and where the election did not hold with reasons.

“Party agents were subsequently allowed to make observations or raise objections after each announcement, but there was none in all the video clips,” INEC said.

The commission also stated that the centre did not disaggregate and articulate its data in the other listed examples-Imo, Edo, Delta, Lagos, Cross River, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Zamfara States.

“For instance, in Edo, you gave the following account: 185 Pus, 111,683 Registered Voters (Election Papers), PUs (YouTube) 54, Registered Voters (YouTube) 36,264; Difference: 131 Pus/75,419 Registered Voters.

“However, the Presidential election was conducted in 176,606 PUs, spread across 8,809 Wards in 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

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