A member of the Ecowas Observer team for Nigeria’s election, Samuel Koku Anyidoho, has cautioned the media to be circumspect with the reportage on the ongoing polls.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, Mr Anyidoho explained that there is a lot of anxiety in the West African country.
In view of that, any misinformation or misreporting could have chaotic effects.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians, particularly the media to rely solely on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before announcing any results.
“The electoral law in Nigeria states categorically that no entity, no individual has the right to call any election or put out any result unless that result is picked from the official INEC portal or declared by INEC.
“You go against that law and you could end up in jail. So it is that strict. So don’t run with anything prior to what INEC will put out,” the former aide to late President Mills told host Kojo Yankson.
Counting is still underway in the just-ended general election in Nigeria.
Turnout appears to be high, especially among young people who make up about a third of the 87 million eligible voters.
The election has seen an unprecedented challenge to the two-party system that has dominated Nigeria for 24 years.
The candidates comprise Peter Obi from the previously little known Labour Party, Mr Tinubu from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and 15 others.
So far official results from the south-western Ekiti state show a clear victory for ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu in one of his strongholds.
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP Peter Obi has defeated the presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Lagos, his home state.