Gideon Arinze in Enugu
The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has suspended the collation of results for the governorship election in Enugu State. Mmecmme
A breakdown of results collated Sunday shows that Peter Mba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is leading in the race, having won nine out of the 17 local government areas in the state.
He is closely followed by the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Chijioke Edeoga, who won eight of the local governments announced.
However, a winner is yet to be declared after INEC returning officer for the Enugu governorship election, Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, announced the suspension of the collation of results for Nkanu East and Nsukka Local Governments following an allegation of non-usage of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), gross irregularities and intimidation of voters.
In a statement in its official Twitter account on Monday, the National Commissioner and Chairman of Voter Education Committee of the commission, Festus Okoye, said that the decision to suspend the collation was taken after a review of the election.
“Reports from Enugu call for a review of the results for the governorship election from the two outstanding local government areas of Nsukka and Nkanu East,” Okoye said in the statement.
“Consequently, the commission hereby suspends the collation of results in the two outstanding LGs which are yet to be collated. A review will be undertaken immediately before the process is concluded,” he further stated.
The commission appealed for the understanding and patience of voters, parties and candidates in the affected state.
Meanwhile, supporters of the two leading candidates in the governorship race, including Mba of the PDP and Edeoga of the LP have been protesting outside the headquarters of the INEC since Monday morning.
While those of the PDP are calling on the INEC to declare Mba winner of the election, supporters of the LP candidate are alleging irregularities in the polls and insisting that the INEC must look at the results in their BIVAS and follow what the electoral act says.
