The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has apologised to Nigerians for the distress caused by challenges associated with its Results Viewing Portal (IReV).

According to the Commission, the portal was relatively slow and unsteady, hence the setback in the result management process.

In a statement issued by the Commission on Sunday, February 26, it explained that, “The problem is totally due to technical hitches related to scaling up the IReV from a platform for managing off-season, State elections, to one for managing nationwide general elections. It is indeed not unusual for glitches to occur and be corrected in such situations.”

The release signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye Esq, further gave the assurance that the IReV remained well secured, and that the challenges were solely attributable to technical challenges, "not due to any intrusion or sabotage of their systems."

Additionally, INEC hinted that the technical team Is “working assiduously to solve all the outstanding problems.”

“We also wish to assure Nigerians that results from the Polling Units, copies of which were issued to political parties, are safe on both the BVAS and the IReV portals. These results cannot be tampered with and any discrepancy between them and the physical results used in collation will be thoroughly investigated and remediated, in line with Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022,” the statement assured.

While the Commission stated that it accepts responsibility for the distress the challenge had caused candidates, political parties and the electorate, it cautioned the populace to desist from statements and actions that had the potential to aggravate the situation or promote disaffection towards the Commission.