Professor Ibrahim Adamu Yakasai of Bayero University in Kano State, one of the electoral officers in the ongoing General Elections, has admitted to submitting bogus results to the National Collation Centre in Abuja.
He claimed that his report to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, was a forgery.
In a letter to INEC Chairman, he stated that his collation centre was under siege by thugs who threatened to burn down the INEC facility if the results were not announced within an hour.
“I served as Electoral Officer for the 2023 Tudun Wada/Doguwa House of Representatives elections, the results of which I announced on February 26, 2023, were fake.” he declared.
He went on: “I would like to testify that the statement I made was under duress for fear of losing my life and that other INEC officials who were with me.
“The collation area was completed under siege and threatened to burn down the INEC facility if I didn’t report the result within an hour.
“I was completely traumatized, hopeless, and confused which did not give me the mental stability to work in accordance with the electoral law and electoral guidelines”
He sighted some areas or polling stations where elections were canceled, did not compare to the total number of accredited voters on the fringes.
He said because of this tense situation he and his colleagues “found ourselves in could not allow us to deal with the complaints about the non-use of BVAS in some polling stations.
I hope that my testimony will be kindly examined and that the necessary action will be taken under Section 65 of the Elections Act 2022.”
