The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the results of the presidential and National Assembly elections will be declared 48 hours after the polls.

Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, gave the assurance yesterday at a joint news conference with the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Johnson Olawunmi, in Abuja.

“INEC is making all efforts to ensure that results are disclosed much earlier than in 2011,” Jega said.

According to him, the 48 hour period for the result is sequel to improvements INEC has made since 2011, adding however, that not all the states will be able to get results within 24 hours.

Jega debunked insinuations that a purported master key for the commission’s data base had been compromised, insisting that INEC’s data base does not use master key but sort code for encryption and decryption.

Apparently replying to an allegation by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization, Femi Fani-Kayode, that the All Progressive Congress (APC) is in possession of the master key for PVC data process, Jega said, “only the producers of the data base infrastructure of INEC have the source code.”

Jega said the company – Act Technologies Limited – was approved by Federal Executive Council (FEC), adding that it was never blacklisted.

Continuing, Jega said allegation concerning the alleged compromise of its data base is irresponsible, regretting that it has the capacity to threaten the credibility of the elections. He further explained that the process of awarding the contract to the company passed the required due process.

“It is a pity that people can say all sorts of things and get away with it; it is a last minute attempt to undermine the credibility of the elections,” he added.

In another development, Jega stressed that there is no disagreement between him the Inspector General of Police, Suleman Abba, over “vote and go home” directive, noting that voters would have the choice of waiting or staying after casting their votes, pointing out that the presence of voters during the counting of votes would enhance the credibility of the polls.

Jega, however, cautioned corps members recruited for the elections, to take the assignment with all seriousness it deserves, emphasizing that their security and welfare have been taken care of.

In a separate remark, the Director General of the NYSC admonished corps members to handle the assignment with integrity, and also counselled them to resist any temptation that may tarnish the image of the scheme, families and the nation.

•Adapted from Newswatch Times. Photo shows Jega.