Crisis looms over 2019 general elections

• As APC plots to change results

There are emerging signs of looming post-election crisis over the outcome of the Saturday Presidential and National Assembly elections. This is not unconnected with innuendos of alleged pressure by leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Independent National Elections Commission, INEC, to change the figures of the results announced at the polling units across the country and deliver victory to APC candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari.

Sources revealed that APC National Chairman has been caught in a leaked video issuing an order to INEC, purportedly saying: “Change the results. Nothing will happen. Atiku cannot be declared winner. At least, not under my chairmanship. International community cannot tell us what to do. Let PDP go to court.”

Oshiomhole was also cited to have allegedly said that “Atiku can win the votes at the polling units but APC will win the result announced by INEC;” noting that “passing exam is beyond knowledge.”

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Situation Room has declared: “Unit by unit results have been put together. Atiku won with more than 4 million votes. APC is doing everything possible to change the wishes of the people.”

There were insinuations that Governors in the southeast Nigeria have been mounting pressure on the INEC to change the results in favour of Buhari before presentation in Abuja for official announcement.

The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Voters Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, on THE VERDICT on Channels Television in the morning of Monday, reacting to reports that Imo State Government was holding INEC officials hostage until they change the results from the polling units in favour of the APC candidate, Buhari, said that changing results will be difficult, explaining that results have been already announced at the various polling units and all stakeholders already have a compilation of the total results. Okoye said that the only thing remaining is the official announcement by the INEC.

Official results are still being awaited by the INEC over 48 hours after the Presidential and National Assembly elections last Saturday.