INEC debunks doctoring documents to clear Lawan, Akpabio for 2023 senatorial election  

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked reports that the commission doctored, backdated and certified documents to accept the nomination of Senator Ahmad Lawan from Yobe North Senatorial District, and Godswill Akpabio from Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

INEC clarified that the names of Senator Ahmed Lawan, the  President of the Senate,  and Godswill Akpabio were on the forms submitted  by their party, but were not published by the commission, saying that Nothing can be further from the truth.

The commission In a statement titled –  SPURIOUS ALLEGATIONS IN RESPECT OF NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES IN SOME SENATORIAL DISTRICTS – protested: “Not for the first time, our attention has been drawn to a story published by an online medium that the Commission has doctored, backdated and certified documents to accommodate the nominations emanating from Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial Districts in respect of Senators Ahmed Lawan and Godswill Akpabio. Nothing can be further from the truth.

“As evidence of the alleged role played by the Commission, a certified true copy of Form 9C uploaded by their political party and received by the Commission on 17th June 2022 when the nomination portal closed was presented.

“For clarity, the Form EC9 (submission of names of candidates by political parties) is the Form uploaded by parties on the INEC nomination portal. “This is clearly indicated on the title of the Form which was received on 17th June 2022 when the portal closed.”

The commission explained:  “What follows is the publication of the personal particulars of nominated candidates which was done a week later.

“The Forms of the two personalities in question were not published by the Commission. The decision of the Commission triggered legal action which is still ongoing.

“It, therefore, defies logic and common sense to go around and submit doctored documents purportedly recognising the duo as candidates when the matter is clearly sub-judice.

“As part of the ongoing case in Court, a law firm requested the Commission for a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Form EC9 submitted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as its candidate for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District which we are duty bound to oblige them under the law. The Form was certified on 15th July 2022. If minimum care had been exercised by the promoters of the story, they would have seen the two stamps of the Commission bearing different dates on the Form. It is this Form that is now misconstrued as INEC’ s endorsement.”

INEC, therefore, declared: “For the record, the Commission has not recognised any of the two personalities as a Senatorial candidate.

“We call for responsible reportage as against the unwarranted attack on the Commission and its officials over a matter that can be easily fact checked.”