#NigeriaDecides: Sensing Defeat, PDP Moves to Frustrate Announcement of Presidential Results [READ MORE]

Officials of Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday moved to frustrate the further announcement of presidential results.

The electoral agency, INEC, in Abuja had Monday released the results of 19 states which showed the candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, leading by over 2 million votes. Results that have also been announced by state INEC officials in other states, yet to be announced in Abuja, also show the opposition candidate set to emerge as the elected president.

However, as the announcement of results was to continue at the International Conference Centre in Abuja on Tuesday, PDP officials stampeded the process accusing Mr. Jega of bias. For several minutes, they prevented the further announcement of results alleging among others, that Attahiru Jega, the INEC boss, refused to collect a petition they sent about the elections; and that he also gave unverified results to the APC.

“Jega is not supposed to be bias. Jega is not suppose to be tribal,” former minister Orubebe who was among the protesters shouted.

While explaining his actions, Mr. Jega said a PDP official who worked in the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, Bello Fadile, deceived the INEC chief’s personal assistant, PA, into receiving a document.

Mr. Fadile allegedly told Mr. Jega’s PA that the INEC chief had directed him to receive the document.

“I told my PA, ‘take that documents back to him.,” Mr. Jega said. “I told him we don’t collect petitions where we are declaring results.”

“I have started collations, I cannot be receiving petitions in this hall on this platform,” he added saying he advised Mr. Fadile, a retired Army Colonel, to submit the petition to the INEC Secretary at the commission’s headquarters.

“As I speak with you now, I have not received anything,” Mr. Jega said on the alleged petition, whose content is not yet known.

Mr. Jega also denied giving any results to the All Progressives Congress.

“I did not give results to anybody. I have not given anybody any results,” he said, saying all the results will be announced publicly and officially as the earlier ones were done.

After Mr. Jega’s statements, the protesters allowed the continuation of the announcement of results.

Follow the official announcement of results here.