By NewsBits
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not taken a final decision on the Enugu gubernatorial election. The collation which was supposed to continue Monday morning have been stalled following controversies surrounding the result from Nkanu East Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, the INEC officials have informed party agents and observers that they are awaiting the decision of the National Secretariat of INEC, Abuja.
NewsBits recalls that history appears to be repeating itself in the governorship election and the obvious delay. Also, recall that the announcement of the results of the election which brought Barrister Sullivan Chime to power (first tenure) was delayed. At a stage, a certain House of Representatives member from Oji River personally threatened the then Returning Officer with a pistol, insisting that he must announce the result and declare Chime (PDP) winner, or he would risk his life. But it could not be confirmed whether the pistol was loaded or not. However, the INEC Officer had to cry out to his boss in Abuja, saying that his life was in danger.
It was learnt that the Enugu Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, and the State Returning Officer have disagreed on the way forward. While the REC is said to be disposed to announcing the result, the Returning Officer feels the Nkanu East result cannot be accepted since BVAS was not used.
He is also reportedly against the said over voting which were some of the issues and objections against the result. Supporters of the two leading political parties in Enugu State have stormed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), headquarters, in Enugu, as tension heightens over the collation of the governorship election results.
The Labour Party supporters were the first to storm the commission’s office demanding that the result of the Nkanu East Local Government Area must not be accepted due to alleged non-usage of BVAS. LP maintains that its candidate, Barr. Chijioke Edeoga won the election.
They alleged that the over 30,000 votes scored by the PDP’s Peter Mbah did not emanate from the votes cast at the various polling units. According to the LP, only about 15,000 votes were cast in the election.
However, reports that a few minutes after, PDP supporters also grouped at the INEC office, insisting that Mbah should be declared winner. The PDP supporters said Mbah should be announced and that the aggrieved parties should go to court.
