APC, INEC squabble over allegations of Pre-printing Certificate of Return

Adams Oshiomhole and Professor Mahmood Yakubu

The All Progressives Congress APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC were Friday locked in an exchange, following claims by the party that the electoral umpire had pre-printed Certificates of Return for candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in the suspended elections in Rivers state.


Director, Strategic Communications of the APC/Tonye Cole Campaign Organization in Rivers, Prince Tonye Princewill in a statement alleged that INEC had prepared the “certificates in favour of some candidates in the purportedly suspended Governorship and House of Assembly Elections in Rivers State which took place on the 9th of March, 2019”.

However, INEC immediately fired back, saying while it does not print certificates before the conclusion of an election, the purported certificates of return in circulation were fake. Part of the statement reads;

“It should be recalled that INEC conducted the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in the entire country on the 9th of March, 2019, Rivers State inclusive.

It should also be recalled that whilst results were collated, declared and announced at seven Ward Collation Centers in Rivers State in clear violation of extant Electoral laws and totally ultra vires its powers under the Electoral Act (2010) as amended, it purported to suspend an electoral process on spurious and unfounded allegations.

What is particularly noteworthy is the fact that it was only in Rivers state that this kind of electoral faux pas took place in Nigeria and furthermore, that the purported suspension only took place when INEC as well as observers and participants in the elections had seen that the Governorship Candidate of the African Action Congress AAC, Engr. Biokpomabo Festus Awara, had taken a clear and seemingly unassailable lead over the obviously preferred candidate of INEC in Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, current and outgoing Governor of Rivers State.

“What is most curious and begging for answers however, is that while INEC purportedly ‘suspended’ the Elections in Rivers State, it nonetheless secretly and in a manner totally devoid of even the slightest pretences of neutrality, went ahead to prepare in anticipation of the results it intended to declare, ‘Certificates of Return’ dated 14th of March, 2019, a time when the process was purportedly suspended by the imperial INEC in Rivers State.

 “INEC by its very act of dating the Certificates of Return the 14th of March, 2019 has attempted to go ahead of the electoral process and even scuttle the chances of those who may wish to challenge the process at the Election Tribunals.

It has by this singular action further aided and abetted Nyesom Wike and the PDP in Rivers State in trying to subvert not only the Electoral process but also any intended Judicial redress as any and all aggrieved and dissatisfied candidates may find it practically impossible to file and Election Petitions within the 21 days period allotted by law for the filing of same”.

INEC fires back Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi however described the allegations as unfortunate, saying the Commission would only issue certificates of return to legitimate winners.

“The allegation by the APC is unfounded. INEC does not produce Certificates of Return before the conclusion of an election. We can only issue certificates to the legitimate winners.

“I have also seen images of the so called Certificates of Return on the social media, but they are fake. Every authentic Certificate of Return duly issued by INEC is signed by the INEC Chairman personally, but what I have seen on the social media are unsigned Certificates of Return.

The source of the images and those sharing them should be investigated. It is a deliberate effort to discredit the Commission”, he said.