The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega has dismissed two Electoral Officers attached to Oredo and Orhiomwon Local Government Areas of Edo state in the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections for allegedly playing a role in the disappearance of result sheets provided for elections in those areas.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Edo State, Mr. Mike Igini, stated this during a meeting with leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state. While noting that some officers of the commission are being interrogated over alleged malpractices in the last elections, he stressed that those involved may face prosecution.
The REC further noted that after a meeting with Prof. Jega in Abuja, the Commission decided that elections will be conducted in those areas where they had to postpone the elections due to late arrival of voting materials and disappearance of result sheets.
He listed areas where the rescheduled elections will hold to include the entire Orhiomwon Local Government Council, six wards in Uhumwonde, some wards and units in Ikpoba Okhai, Ovia North East, Ovia South West and Oredo Local Government Areas. While noting that the winner of the Edo South senatorial election will emerge through a simple majority, Igini asserted that the winner of the senatorial election can only emerge after elections are held in these areas.
According to him, “Orhiomwon election is also very important because apart from the senate, we also have a House of Representatives seat at stake in that area. So the result will also be determined after the Orhionmwon and Uhumwonde elections” and insisted that card readers will be used for the Saturday elections across the state.
Meanwhile, the PDP leaders including the state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, former Deputy Governor, Lucky Imasuen and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, voiced their opposition to the areas listed by the REC as they insisted that since election held in some parts of Orhiomnwon, the results should stand.
There was heightened tension in the hall when the PDP leaders engaged in war of words with their APC counterparts following allegations and counter allegations about alleged ploy to rig the elections using some Electoral officers.
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