INEC reviewing concerns of Nigerians on 2023 polls results –Yakubu

<p>Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof MahmoodYakubu, has said concerns raised by Nigerians on result management during the 2023 general elections will be addressed.</p>, <p>While observing that both collation and returning officers worked under extremely challenging circumstances during the polls, Yakubu assured Nigerians that the commission will identify areas of strength and weaknesses, including introducing reforms where necessary.</p>, <p>The INEC chairman made the observations yesterday at the commission’s post election review meeting with collation and returning officers who participated in the 2023 general election.</p>, <p>He said: “Today, we are meeting with yet another important category of election officials i.e. the Collation Officers. Present here today are the 37 State Collation Officers for the Presidential Election (SCOPEs). Many of you also doubled as Returning Officers for the 28 Governorship elections. For legislative elections, we invited, across the six geo-political zones of the country, the Senatorial District Collation Officers who also doubled as Returning Officers for senatorial elections.</p>, <p>“It is practically unmanageable to invite all the collation and returning officers for 1,462 federal and state constituencies made up of 109 Senatorial Districts as well as 360 Federal and 993 State Houses Assembly constituencies.”</p>, <p>XWe therefore focused on the Senatorial Districts since they are bigger and cut across the other constituencies.</p>, <p>“The Commission is aware that as collation and returning officers, you worked under extremely challenging circumstances by tediously and manually completing designated forms as provided by law and either moved them to the next level of collation or concluded the processes as Returning Officers. Many of you also have the cognate experience of result management, having served in similar capacities in at least three electoral cycles. The Commission appreciates your commitment, dedication to duty and sacrific