The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said in their petition during a protest march to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja that there was ample evidence that the commission directly aided rigging of the February 25 presidential election, which produced the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, as president-elect.

The PDP accused INEC of deceiving Nigerians by deliberately deactivating the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during the election.

The opposition party condemned what it called “hasty” declaration of the presidential election results, saying it is a violation of the Electoral Act. It maintained that the election was a charade and a murder of democracy in the country.

Part of the petition reads “Everyone recalls with disappointment, the reported widespread irregularities and manipulations that marred the election. There is ample evidence to show deliberate complicity of your commission in the entire fraud.

“The falsification of results and deliberate de-activation of the BVAS and your servers to frustrate the transmission of election results directly from the polling units attest to that. In all these issues brought to your attention, you refused to act.”

“Today, Nigerians have all seen that those allegations were true. It is, indeed, disheartening to say that the election, which raised the hopes of all Nigerians to witness an advancement in our electoral process, turned out to be a charade.”

The opposition party reminded INEC that in many meetings and briefings it held with the political parties and the press ahead of the elections, it had assured Nigerians that the Professor Mahmood Yakubu leadership would conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible.

You also promised the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) technology in voter accreditation and result management, whereby the public would have unhindered access to the results uploaded to your servers online and in real time (iREV). Contrary to this belief, there was an abysmal failure on your part to honour your promises.

“Predictably, the conduct and outcome of the presidential and National Assembly elections fell below acceptable standards. It has resonated the fears of all Nigerians in your integrity and that of your commission to conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible election.

“You also promised the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) technology in voter accreditation and result management, whereby the public would have unhindered access to the results uploaded to your servers online and in real time (iREV). Contrary to this belief, there was an abysmal failure on your part to honour your promises.

“Predictably, the conduct and outcome of the presidential and National Assembly elections fell below acceptable standards. It has resonated the fears of all Nigerians in your integrity and that of your commission to conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible election.

“Everyone recalls with disappointment, the reported widespread irregularities and manipulations that marred the election. There is ample evidence to show deliberate complicity of your commission in the entire fraud.

“The falsification of results and deliberate de-activation of the BVAS and your servers to frustrate the transmission of election results directly from the polling units attest to that. In all these issues brought to your attention, you refused to act.”

PDP also told INEC in the letter, “Nigerians are no more in doubt of your direct involvement in aiding and abetting the monumental rigging and manipulation of the election results in favour of the ruling party (APC).

“In addition, the refusal and neglect of your electoral officers to transmit results of the election directly from the Polling Units (PU) to INEC Servers as required by law is a flagrant violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. This action is not acceptable to Nigerians and neither to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It, therefore, stands to be challenged.

“For want of clarity, Section 64 (4) (b) of the Electoral Act 2022 specifically provides thus: ‘A collation officer or Returning Officer at an election shall collate and announce the result of an election subject to his or her verification and confirmation that the (b) Votes stated on the collated result are correct and consistent with the votes or results recorded and transmitted directly from Polling Units under Section 60 (4) of this Act.

“Consequent upon the above Section 60 (4) of the Electoral Act 2022, the result you have announced and the declarations made are ultra vires, illegal and of no effect except for results transmitted directly from the Polling Units”, the PDP said.