Results From Volatile Areas Will Be Cancelled- INEC

– Okoye said that such result could be cancelled depending on reports from the presiding officer in such units

– He said, “If there are areas where ballot box snatching was reported, the presiding officer is expected to write a report on such incident to the Electoral Officer

– The report from the presiding officers from such units will help the commission to determine whether the results from such units will be cancelled

The Independent National Electoral Commissioner in charge of Information and Voters Education, Festus Okoye,has said that election results from polling units where cases of violence, ballot snatching and intimidation were recorded may be cancelled.

Okoye made this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

Okoye said that such result could be cancelled depending on reports from the presiding officer in such units.

He added that the commission had yet to be informed by the Peoples Democratic Party that the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, and the All Progressives Congress were forcing INEC staff to sign prefilled results.

He said, “If there are areas where ballot box snatching was reported, the presiding officer is expected to write a report on such incident to the Electoral Officer, stating the issues concern and how they fit into the guidelines.

“The report from the presiding officers from such units will help the commission to determine whether the results from such units will be cancelled or whether a rerun will be ordered or whether the unit will be awarded a zero score.

“Until such report is received from the officers on the field, the commission will not take decision on it.

“We have some Resident and National Commissioners and other senior staff of the commission on the field. They are doing their job in accordance with the law.

“We are not aware of such an incident (that Bello and INEC were forcing INEC staff to sign prefilled results) and if such an incident took place, there will be a report because we have some Resident Electoral Commissioners supervising a cluster of local government areas.”

The commission regretted that the anomalies took place despite its efforts and promises of the political parties to promote peaceful elections, as well as several engagements with stakeholders and signing of peace accord.

He said, “Voting has closed in all polling units in the elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states. The commission deployed staff and materials in 4,352 polling units in the two states for the governorship elections, Kogi West Senatorial rerun election and Brass I State Constituency supplementary election in Bayelsa State.

“In addition, National Commissioners, Resident Electoral Commissioners and other staff members were sent to monitor and supervise the elections. These field officers are regularly submitting real-time reports to the commission on developments in the field.

“The commission is monitoring the processes. Reports from accredited observers and our officials in the field indicate that most voters who were willing to vote had the opportunity to do so. The commission delivered materials to its two State offices in good time and made adequate preparations for the movement of staff and materials to the various voting locations.

Otunba T.J Abass

The Publisher, Ekohotblog.com