INEC Explains Why 2023 Presidential Results Were Announced At 2 AM

INEC Explains Why 2023 Presidential Results Were Announced At 2 AM

In a significant clarification, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shed light on the timing of the results announcement for the 2023 presidential election. Following an intense period of anticipation, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner with 8,794,726 votes. His main rivals were Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The result was announced around 2 AM on March 1, 2023, which prompted various reactions nationwide.

Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, explained that the late announcement was due to the complex logistics of aggregating results from across Nigeria. This process involves collecting results from polling units to wards, local governments, states, and finally to Abuja for national aggregation. Oyekanmi stressed that neither the constitution nor the electoral act specifies a particular time for declaring results, allowing INEC the flexibility needed for accuracy. He noted that similar late-night announcements have occurred in past elections, citing that Prof. Attahiru Jega announced the 2015 results around 4 AM.