INEC Server: Jega Sets The Record Straight

Former Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, has spoken on the controversies surrounding the existence of a server during his time as head of the commission.

A statement which has gone viral on the social media had quoted Jega as saying that the server existed during his time and it is still functional.  

“INEC server exist and it is functional. Let’s call a spade a spade. I was once INEC chairman and results were transmitted electronically during my time,” he was quoted as saying in one of the viral tweets on the handle of Olushola Olufolabi @olushola_shola.

"INEC server exist and it is functional. Let's call a spade a spade. I was once INEC chairman and results were transmitted electronically during my time.

-Prof. Attahiru Jega pic.twitter.com/1xqIDm3kRv

— Olushola Olufolabi (@olushola_shola) June 16, 2019

But the current INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had claimed the commission had no server for the 2019 general elections.

The alleged contradictory claim by Jega had however sparked reactions from Nigerians on the social media.

The results @OfficialPDPNig and @atiku got from @inecnigeria server was transmitted directly from the manual forms which the law recognises. The result in the server didn't fly from space and appeared in the server. So they have a Strong case against @inecnigeria

— Jasper Aniet Louis (@trueAFICIONADO) June 17, 2019

How come it’s only atiku a results that are being challenged how come the senators and house of reps accepted theirs? Was it not on the same day? At the same time? Amazing clowns

— charles bankole (@charlesbanky) June 17, 2019

So you mean Mahmood is hiding something from Us right? pic.twitter.com/tnhaZxa8JQ

— ??Royal-Tee?? (@ObajemuJnr) June 16, 2019

If he really said this then the problem is even worset.What now happened to the Billions they collected for server?Were the billions all just for training?And if there was never a server why the training?They shld chose btwn misappropriation & stealing & come for their sentencing

— Sylvia Ikeji (@Sylvia_Ikeji) June 16, 2019

Coming from another election rigger.

— Sunny Mobuogwu (@SMobuogwu) June 16, 2019

Now, they will come up with another story about how the server was shut down for maintenance after Jega's tenure but the maintenance team couldn't keep up with deadline so….bla…bla….bla

— Ex ManUtd Fan (@odunamen) June 16, 2019

@Prof_AJega sir you have been quoted to have made the above statement. Pls can you elaborate more on it sir. Nigerians need to know the truth.

— Mr Mo. (@mlaa74) June 18, 2019

But in reaction to calls to clarify the statement, Jega denied that such a statement emanated from him.

According to him, the commission under his watch did not, at any time, transmit results electronically.

“This is another lie mischievously attributed to me. I never said this. Besides, INEC during my time did not do electronic transmission of results. Under our current electoral laws, it is illegal to do so.

“I am at a loss as to why some reckless people go the extra mile to attribute things to me, which I have never said. I have never said this. It is a repugnant lie.”

Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had approached the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal to challenge the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the election.

They claimed the results they obtained from the INEC server indicated that Abubakar won the poll with over six million votes margin.

But the commission told the tribunal that it had no server where the results of the February 23 presidential election were uploaded.