Hours before the 2023 off-cycle governorship election in Imo state, an X user, Chidi Odinkalu, posted that the passwords to transmit election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) election results viewing portal, IReV, had been withdrawn from the local government supervisors in the state.
The post read, “#IMODecides2023 Update: I have just learnt from concerned workers that the Password to transmit results to #IReV issued yesterday to LGA Supervisors in Imo for use by APO1s 2mrw have bn withdrawn without reason. New passwords have not bn issued. Expect IREV “malfunction” 2mrw.”
The post has garnered 68,000 views, 836 retweets and 720 likes, as of the time it was retrieved from the micro-blogging platform.
The tweet was also quoted in a news report published by Sahara Reporters, with the headline, “INEC Workers In Imo Told Me IREV Portal Password Has Been Removed; Expect ‘Malfunctioning’ On Saturday – Prof Odinkalu Alerts Nigerians.”
Claim: The passwords to transmit election results to IReV had been withdrawn from LGA supervisors in Imo state
Verification
We found that the electoral umpire, INEC, has released a statement debunking the report that the passwords to the IReV portal were withdrawn.
While it was noted that designated officials have secured the passwords to the IReV, the Commission clarified that Presiding Officers are the ones responsible for result upload and not Assistant Presiding Officers (APO1s).
“The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission has been drawn to a story attributed to unknown “concerned workers” of the Commission that passwords for result upload have been withdrawn from LGA Supervisors for use by APO1s in Imo State. This is untrue”
The Commission added, “The public should expect more of such insinuations before, during and after the elections, and continue to discountance them.”
Verdict: NO EVIDENCE
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