Enugu guber: INEC suspends declaration of winner over complaints of irregularities

Forum 1 year ago

Enugu guber: INEC suspends declaration of winner over complaints of irregularities

THE declaration of winner for the governorship contest of March 18, 2023 in Enugu was suspended till Monday following complaints by both Labour Party and People’s Democratic Party.

The PDP said it was not satisfied with the number of votes secured by Labour Party in Nsukka Local Government Area.

Also, Labour Party rejected the number of votes PDP got in Nkanu East Local Government Area and called for its cancellation on account of alleged irregularities.

Labour party specifically alleged that there were cases of over voting in some polling units in the council, including Ibeagwa, Nike. The party also claimed that in some units, accredited voters were more than the number of collected Permanent Voter Cards, PVC, and identified Owo as one of the places such a thing allegedly happened.

Reinforcing the position of his party, the governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga who said that the process was marred by irregularities, also said what happened in Nkanu East Local Government was not election at all.

Edeoga also claimed that the result from Nkanu East signed by his party agent was different from what was turned in to INEC.

“In most parts of Enugu State, the election was marred by obvious irregularities, but I want to focus specifically on Nkanu East Local Government Area.

“Nkanu East has produced two different results. The result that my agent signed, which is available, is far different from the result which was taken to INEC headquarters and is now a subject of controversy.

“I want to state categorically that the position of Nkanu East Local Government is that the result of Nkanu East cannot stand; it stands against reason, stands against common sense. It stands against the records available of what is the voting strength of Nkanu East and it stands against the number of voters that were accredited and the number of PVCs that were collected.

“So, the result of Nkanu East is not acceptable; it is not acceptable to the Labour Party and I call for its total cancellation, so that the due processes should be followed. At any point in time when the number of PVCs collected and accreditation do not tally with number of votes, one is enjoined to stay action and cross-check.

“Of course, you know that Udenu LGA, the electoral officer was whisked away and the results completely altered when she went in custody of INEC headquarters. What was collated in Udenu, that was going to be announced, is far different from what was announced when she was taken away.

“In virtually all the polling units, what was recorded is far different from what was uploaded. The PVCs collected and the accredited voters have no relationship at all with the votes ascribed to people.

“We are going to respond comprehensively, but I want to state categorically that the Labour Party and its governorship candidate in Enugu State do not accept the result of Nkanu East and we call for its cancellation. It is a flagrant abuse of the electoral process and such brigandage should not be allowed to stay; it is very injurious to every effort we are making to build a democratic system that is representative of the people’s will”, Edeoga said.