The Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) has warned journalists, social media users
and accredited election observers not to risk
going to jail by publishing results of the
forthcoming elections not endorsed by the body.
The Nigerian Tribune reports that Festus Okoye,
an INEC commissiober, issued the warning in
Awka, Anambra state, at an event to sensitise
media practitioners ahead of the 2019 general
election.
According to Okoye, only returning officers are
mandated to announce results of the exercise.
The INEC commissioner quoted section 123 (4) of
the electoral act 2010 (as amended) as
stipulating that anyone who announces or
publishes the result knowing that they are false
or at variance with the signed certificate of return
has committed an offence and is liable on
conviction to 36 months imprisonment.
“The constitution is the fundamental law of the
land and all other laws are dependent and flow
from its provisions.
The electoral acts set out the procedure and
processes for the conduct of elections in Nigeria
and the third are the regulations and guidelines
as well as the manuals issued by the INEC for the
conduct of elections.
“Media managers must have good knowledge of
the dynamics and nuances of the electoral
processes. Media manager that does not have
such knowledge is a danger to the electoral
process and a danger to democracy,†Okoye said.
Okoye also warned that media organisations and
observers should abstain from violating the
secrecy of the vote by attempting to record how
the voters carry out their responsibilities during
the elections.
The visit had triggered criticisms from the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some other
Nigerians who described it as a form of foreign
interference in the electoral process.
source:
www.legit.ng/1219488-2019-declare-fake-results-jail-inec-issues-warning-journalists-others.html
