The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified why it announced the results of the 2023 presidential election in the early hours of the morning.
Chief Press Secretary Rotimi Oyekanmi explained that the announcement was made at around 2 am due to the complex process of collating results from across Nigeria. This involves receiving and verifying results from 36 returning officers across various locations, including remote areas.
He emphasized that the constitution and Electoral Act do not specify a particular time for announcing election results. Oyekanmi noted that similar late-night declarations occurred in past elections, citing that Prof. Attahiru Jega declared the 2015 results around 4 am.
According to him: “In a presidential election, the country is treated as one constituency. Results are declared at polling units, then collated at the ward, local government, and state levels before being presented in Abuja to the Chief Electoral Commissioner,” he said. People didn’t understand this and criticised the 2 am announcement.

“The chairman had to wait for the 36 returning officers, including those from distant locations, to present their results. The electoral act requires that results be brought and the returning officers be interviewed. The chairman questions the returning officers. Only after accepting all figures from the returning officers and the FCT can results be collated and announced. The delay led to claims that we declared results in the middle of the night.

“However, Prof. Attahiru Jega declared the 2015 results around 4 am. The constitution does not prescribe a specific time for declaring election results.”