Decision 2023: Collation of Presidential Results Underway in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commissioner has begun the collation of results for the 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections in Abuja.

INEC began announcing results from national elections on Sunday with Ekiti state only available.

The first results, from Ekiki state, showed a majority of votes for president cast in favor of Bola Tinubu of the governing All Progressives Congress.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti, Ayobami Salami said Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 210,494 votes followed by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 89,554 votes.

Peter Obi of Labour Party polled 11,397 while the Presidential Candidate of the New Nigeria’s People Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso polled 264 votes.

Votes in presidential and parliamentary elections are collated in each of Nigeria’s 36 states before the count is transmitted to the electoral commission’s central tallying center in the capital Abuja.

INEC National Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu said the commission expects the results of the other 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory and moved the national collation to Monday.

So far, only five states have been announced, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Kwara.

More than 24 hours after polls were meant to close, many polling stations have yet to upload their results.

The Commission in a statement said it is aware of challenges with the INEC Results Viewing Portal which has been relatively slow and unsteady, blaming it “technical hitches.”

Voting had to be extended into Sunday in a few parts of the country after glitches on Saturday, but counting has been underway since polls closed with the final tally expected within five days.