BREAKING: INEC Cancels Supplementary Election in Major PDP Stronghold, Gives Reason
- INEC has cancelled the supplementary election in Akwa Ibom state due to electoral violence
- Cyril Omorogbe, the state's REC, said there was snatching of electoral materials, including BVAS Machines, in the 17 polling units
- The INEC chief described the development as abysmal, adding that situation happened in 4 local governments
Uyo, Akwa Ibom - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the suspension of supplementary election in the Ikono/Ini federal constituency in Akwa Ibom state.
Daily Trust reported that the electoral body suspended the rerun in the constituency because of widespread violence at the polling units.
Source: Facebook
Latest about the supplementary election in Akwa Ibom, PDP
Cyril Omorogbe, the state's resident electoral commissioner (REC), announced the cancellation on Saturday, April 15, while noting that the development is abysmal.
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
Akwa Ibom is one of the strongholds of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the party recorded landmark victories in the state during the February 25 presidential and national assembly election as well as March 18 governorship and state assembly elections.
According to Omorogbe, the supplementary election was cancelled in the 17 polling units taking part in the election because of the snatching of electoral materials and the Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation Machine System (BIVAS).
Why INEC cancels supplementary election in Akwa Ibom
His statement reads:
“Good evening, gentlemen, I just want to give a brief update on what has happened today in case of the rerun election.
“The fact that we had about four local government areas where we conducted election and one major one was Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency.
“We were there this morning early enough and about 8:30 am polling units were opened. Couples of hours after we opened the polls, I received a call that BIVAS machines were hijacked.
“So, I knew from then that we were in for a tough time. Two hours after that I received another report that was not good. So, the election in Ikono/Ini federal constituency has been cancelled.
“They were fighting all through the local Government Area in the 17 polling units in the area. I received a report from the Collation Officers that suppose to collate the result in the area that election did not hold.
“The whole exercise of those 17 polling units, they were either hijacked, disrupted, people were being chased and other things of that nature.
“From the Collation Officers in the field who were supposed to collate they all came back and have written reports and the result sheets they supposed to fill are all here. Apparently, there was no election for now.
“On the other constituency of Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, I am still expecting to hear from them, but I believe at this point things went well. Perhaps, in the next couples of hours the result will be declared.”
Source: Legit.ng
