From Taiwo Amodu, Abuja

NATIONAL chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professsor Mahmoud Yaquub has defended the declarations of certain elections conducted under his stewardship as inconclusive.

The Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections were declared inconclusive by the electoral body while the Rivers State national and state assemblies rerun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) councils poll suffered similar fate.

But addressing newsmen yesterday at the Commission secretariat, the INEC boss blamed the Commission’s inability to conduct conclusive on violence perpetrated by political thugs to distrupt elections, even as he argued that INEC’s decision was backed by relevant laws.

“Nobody wants elections to be inconclusive, but I haven’t seen or read anywhere where INEC was accused of taking a position outside the provisions of Electoral Act.

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“Why are elections inconclusive? One, for those of you who have been working with us for such a long time, you know that elections have become, thank God to modern day technology, even better. Nigerians have been clamouring for a time when their votes will actually count. Today, I’m very happy to say that votes truly count.

“Secondly, Nigerians have been praying for a time when we shall have strong political parties, not just one political party that used to win by landslide. Now, we have strong political parties and there are others that have also become stronger and now win in areas that they have never won before. The elections are also becoming very, very competitive and the margin of victory is reducing.

“ If you look at the outcome of the elections in Kogi in the last election, we have two strong political parties and two strong candidates: a former governor and an incumbent governor. In Bayelsa, two strong political parties, two strong candidates: a former governor and an incumbent governor. Even in Rivers rerun, we had two strong political parties and ultimately, between a former governor and an incumbent governor even though both the former governor and an incumbent weren’t candidates in the election.”

The INEC chairman faulted the criticisms trailing declarations of elections as inconclusive under his tenure, as he noted that similar actions were taken by the Commission under his predecessors.

“Bauchi election was inconclusive in 2011. In 2015, Imo was inconclusive; Abia and Taraba were also inconclusive. In between, the governorship elections in Anambra was also inconclusive. In fact, INEC had to go back to 16 local councils to conclude the elections. So, we had inconclusive elections in the past. Where INEC didn’t declare elections inconclusive, the court ordered INEC to conduct supplementary,” he said.