* INEC, suspends collation, reschedules poll in Kogi
* Bayelsa results awaited as thugs arrested
By Chesa Chesa, Evarest Ezihe (Owerri) and Noah Ocheni (Lokoja)
Governor Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in the state.
Prof.Abayomi Fashina, Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, the State Returning Officer, declared Uzodimma re-elected on Sunday morning after over eight hours of collation of local government results.
Uzodimma trounced Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) Samuel Anyanwu, Labour Party (LP’s) Nneji Achonu, and Jack Ogunewe of the Action Alliance (AA), 14 other opponents.
The APC candidate polled 540,308 votes to defeat his closest rivals, Anyanwu, who polled 71,503 votes and Achonu who secured 64,081.
The eight-hour marathon collation of results from 2:30am to 8:30am on Sunday was fraught with drama and protests from opposition party agents who complained that the results brought at the collation centre were at variance with what was uploaded on the Result Viewing Portal of the commission (IRev).
Labour Party agents and others vehemently demanded the suspension of the collation, but the Returning Officer dismissee their comcerns.
According to INEC, the number of registered voters in the state for the poll was 2,419,922 with 2,318,919 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected.
Generally, observers said Saturday’s governorship poll in the South-East state was marred by vote-buying, voter-intimidation, violence and other electoral malpractices, with antigraft agencies reportedly arresting party agents with stashed cash.
Uzodimma was first declared as Imo State governor by the Supreme Court in January 2020 after the nullification of the election of Hon. Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP.
Uzodimma sought re-election in Saturday’s poll and cleared all the 27 local government areas in the state.
After his declaration and at the end of Holy Mass organised in his honour, Uzodimma urged his key contenders, to join him to move the state forward.
He said his next four years in office would hugely benefit the state.
The governor added that he was grateful to the electorate, security agents and the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “for the roles they played in ensuring a peaceful election in the state.”
In commending President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for his support, he stated that “I am humbled and honoured by your overwhelming support in yesterday’s election. Your trust in me to continue leading our dear state is both inspiring and deeply appreciated.
“A special thanks to the leader of our great party, President Bola Tinubu, for his fatherly guidance throughout the electioneering period. Together, let us continue the journey towards a more prosperous and inclusive Imo State”.
*LP’s Achonu, PDP’s Anyanwu reject result, describe the process as a sham
On their part, the povernorship Candidates of the Labour Party (LP) in Imo State, Sen. Athan Achonu,.and his PDP counterpart, Chief Sam Anyamwu have rejected the result of the election, rhe biggest sham ever witnessed in Nigeria’s political history.
Addressing newsmen in his Umulomo country home in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state, on Sunday, Achonu alleged that the election was “marred by irregularities, including vote buying and physical assaults of LP agents, and thus deserving of outright cancellation”.He further alleged that voting in many locations was done without BVAS accreditation, contrary to the assurances by INEC before the election.Achonu also alleged compromise on the part of security personnel, adding that “recorded evidences abound, such as that of a police officer who was beaten by voters for attempting to snatch a ballot box”.He commended LP supporters for their steadfastness in the face of provocation and assured them that they would get justice through the courts.
“Our democracy was raped in the full glare of security personnel, whose salaries we pay from our commonwealth.“Collation was suddenly moved from the ward to LG centres, and only APC agents were allowed to enter, while agents of other parties were locked out.“I have not lost hope in the judiciary, there are so many men of integrity therein, and we shall reclaim our mandate,” Achonu said.He condemned the assault and detention of the LP Chairman in Imo, Mr Callistus Ihejiagwa, at the State Collation Centre, and called for the immediate arrest of those who manhandled him.“I
nstead of arresting those who beat him, the police arrested and detained him.
“Let’s save the drift into anarchy, let’s save our country and her democracy”.On his part, Anyamwu decried how both INEC officials and the security agencies could “shamelessly collude to rig elections”.He dismissed the election as a rape of democracy, saying “Nigeria has not learnt anything from the travesty of the last general elections”.
*Kogi: INEC schedules fresh elections in violent PUs
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rescheduled governorship election in several locations in Kogi State where result sheets were completed before the commencement of voting.
The Commission said in a statement on Sunday that the most critical incidents of such occurred in nine out of 10 Wards in Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.
The statement was signed by INEC’s National Commissioner & Member
Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
It explained that the Commission’s decision followed updates from its Kogi State office regarding the suspension of election in some locations in the State as a result if such blatant malpractice.
According to Haruna: “We received reports of similar and other incidents in Adavi (5 Polling Units in Okunchi/Ozuri/Onieka Ward), Ajaokuta (5 Polling Units in Adogo Ward), Okehi (1 Polling Unit in Eika/Ohizenyi Ward) and Okene (5 Polling Units in Obehira Uvete Ward).
“Results from the affected Polling Units have been accounted for in Form EC40G for the four LGAs.
“However, in the case of Ogori/Magongo LGA, only the result of Oshobane Ward II with eight Polling Units and 2,264 registered voters has been collated.
“Election in the other nine Wards (Eni, Okibo, Okesi, Ileteju, Aiyeromi, Ugugu, Obinoyin, Obatgben and Oturu) involving 59 Polling Units and 15,136 registered voters remain suspended.
“In line with Section 24(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and Clause 59 of INEC Regulations and Guidelines on the Conduct of Elections 2022, fresh election will be held on Saturday 18thNovember 2023 in the affected Polling Units.
“The decision to hold fresh elections is subject to the Returning Officer’s determination of the application of the Margin of Lead Principle.
“However, this decision is without prejudice to our avowed commitment to follow the audit trail of personnel and materials to ascertain those who may have been complicit in undermining the process and apply appropriate sanctions where necessary.
“The Commission wishes to reiterate its assurances to voters in Kogi State that their votes will continue to count and their wishes respected.”
Bayelsa: Arrested thug admits working for APC
A suspected thug arrested with arms and ammunition by security agents during Saturday’s off-cycle Governorship election in Bayelsa State has confessed to working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The suspect, who identified himself (names withheld) was arrested in Fonibri Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
The suspect was seen being questioned in a minute, 24-second video in which he was stripped of his clothing, and holding some pieces of live ammunition.
He confessed to working for the APC as political thug.
He said he was in Fonibri community working for his boss, when he was arrested.
He also confessed to being arrested with some arms and ammunition found in his possession in the community.
Asked what he was using the arms and ammunition for, the suspect told the security agents, “we use the arms during election activities.”
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