Politics

Election: Why I Have Kept Mute About Outstanding Results – Imo REC

Published

2 years ago

Apr 5, 2023.

Benard Joseph

Imo, REC has revealed why she can’t declare outstanding election results.

Prof. Silvia stated that she does not possess the power to announce outstanding results.
She made the statement in response to the controversy and disagreement surrounding the result of the state assembly election held on March 25th.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Imo Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Silvia Agu, has said that accusations against her of working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) are unfounded and spurious.

She said this while reacting to the controversy and dispute that greeted the outcome of the state’s March 25th state assembly poll.

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She also said that her powers to declare winners of the outstanding results in the state are now limited to the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Prof. Agu spoke on Tuesday in Owerri while addressing journalists.

She said that the Nkwerre/Nwangele/Isu/Njaba federal constituency results are still being reviewed at the INEC headquarters in Abuja and will be announced as soon as the process is completed.

The REC, who has been under heavy criticism by opposition parties in the state after the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections and that of the March 18 House of Assembly elections in the state, for allegedly working with the ruling APC to announce candidates of the party winners of the polls, debunked the accusations, insisting that she would never compromise her faith as a member of the Scripture Union.

She said, “I have heard so many things about me since after the general elections. Some said I conspired with the government of Imo state to rig the Imo elections. But a clear conscience fears no accusations. I am a member of the Scripture Union, and I can never compromise my faith for any reason. I am also a Knight of the church. So I have come to do the right thing.

“We have places marred with irregularities in the last elections and declared inconclusive. They include the Mbaitoli/Ikeduru federal constituency and the Ahiazu-Mbaise state constituency.

Njaba’s results as part of the federal constituency are still being reviewed in Abuja. Given the situation on the ground, I have no powers of my own to declare results at the moment. At this point, Abuja can decide who emerges winner after reviewing the results.

“The Mbaitoli/Ikeduru supplementary election has been scheduled for the 15th of April, 2023. However, there are some polling units where elections did not occur.”