'We didn't use fake result sheets,' INEC says

dimeji akinloye

March 25, 2016 10:01 PM

He said INEC has considered the submissions of the officials and undertook an audit of its personnel deployed as polling officials and for related duties in the elections.

Governor Nyesom Wike at a polling booth during the just concluded Rivers rerun election held on Saturday, March 19, 2016.

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This is contained in statement signed by the INEC Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, on Friday, March 25, 2016, in Abuja.

According to Uzzi, the decision was arrived at after the commission's meeting on Wednesday, March 23, with the Rivers Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Supervisor and Monitors of the March 19 election.

He noted that the commission has considered the submissions of the officials and undertook an audit of its personnel deployed as polling officials and for related duties in the elections.

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The spokesman acknowledged that there were some challenges in its operational efficiency, especially as it concerns the production and customisation of result sheets used for the election, but was quick to add that the commission did not use any fake material.

"Specifically, there was omission of the original watermark in the result sheets for a few polling units in three federal constituencies, he said.

"There was also omission of some delineation details in 47 of over 20,000 booklets produced.

"The commission wishes to emphatically state that there were no fake result sheets or any fake materials used in the conduct of the election."

He restated the commission’s decision to uphold the declarations and return made in the federal constituencies where elections have been concluded.

"Similarly, INEC will conclude and make returns in constituencies where it is satisfied that voting and collation were done in substantial compliance with the Electoral Aact and our guidelines.

"Further details as to the constituencies and nature of the exercise will be announced by the REC in the next few days."

He added that INEC would at a later date, conduct fresh elections in all local government areas, constituencies and polling units where March 19 elections were disrupted before voting was concluded.

dimeji akinloye