The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ordered the resumption of results collation in Abia and Enugu states.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said this on Wednesday in Abuja in a statement.
Daily Trust reports that INEC had on Monday suspended governorship elections results collations in Abia and Enugu states due to pockets of violence in some parts of both states.
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According to Okoye, the commission met on Monday 20th March 2023 and reviewed the conduct of the governorship and state assembly elections held nationwide on Saturday 18th March 2023.
“Arising from the meeting, the commission took the decision to suspend further collation of the Governorship election results in some parts of Abia and Enugu states in order to carry out a review of the collation processes in both states.
“The commission has concluded the review. Consequently, the collation of results for the governorship election in both Abia and Enugu states will continue today 22nd March 2023.
“The commission appreciates the patience and understanding of the people of both states as we conclude the collation processes,” Okoye said.
Earlier, an official of the commission said the Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Prof. Nnenna Oti; and the State Administrative Secretary, Clement Oha, who were invited to the INEC headquarters Abuja over the controversy from Obingwa results, were on their way back to the state, to complete the process.
The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Abia, Dr. Alex Otti, had urged the INEC to resist upturning the March 18 governorship election, claiming that his party secured victory.
He made the plea on Tuesday in Abuja at a media briefing on the contentious election, which results collation had been suspended by INEC, alongside that of Enugu State, over pockets of violence in parts of both states.
According to him, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) knowing that the LP was winning attempted to use the Isiala-Ngwa North and Obingwa local governments results collation, but were resisted by LP agent and the electorates, which made the PDP and the state government to unleash hoodlums on the people.
He also asked INEC to immediately declare him as the winner of Saturday’s election in the interest of fairness and justice.
According to him, results so far collated in 16 of the 17 Local Government Areas of the state clearly show that he has won.
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