Atiku vs Buhari: INEC chairman, Mahmood vows to speak up on server controversy

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said he will address the server controversy that trailed the 2019 general elections, after the Presidential Elections Tribunal.

Atiku Abubakar, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had dragged the winner and incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the tribunal.

According to Atiku, INEC’s server shows he defeated Buhari in the polls.

Yakubu has now advised interested Nigerians to go and read the statements on oath by the petitioners and the defendants, to have a full grasp of the issues surrounding the controversial server.

The INEC chief spoke at the conclusion of a session on the review of the 2019 General Elections with the media in Abuja during the weekend.

Responding to a question, he said: “In our jurisprudence, you cannot comment on a live matter in court. The matter is subjudice but after the judgment, I will speak on the server issue.

“There are a lot of documents you have not got. There are statements on oath by the petitioners and the defendants. Go and read these statements on oath. It is actually prudent to go back and read the statements.”

He added: “In some countries, they will be campaigning till the election day because there is trust. But in Nigeria, we print ballot papers, entrust these ballot papers with the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and distribution is always done with heavy security. So, here, it is a question of trust.

“Remember, some people attacked INEC offices in some states during the last elections because of ballot papers and other sensitive materials. Trust is key in any electoral process. The major difference between us and other countries is trust.

“I cannot remember any country in Europe that does electronic voting; they still engage in manual process. Holland tried electronic voting but after 20 years, they reverted to ballot papers.”