Breaking:INEC To Review Obingwa Election Results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says that it was going to review the contentious Obingwa local government area governorship and State House of Assembly results.

The National Commissioner and Chairman IVEC, Barr. Festus Okoye at the National Situation Room, ICC Abuja during a press conference with journalists while condemning the invasion of Obingwa LGA office of the INEC, disclosed that the intention of the hoodlums was to force its personnel to collate the contentious Obingwa local government area results.

“As Nigerians are aware, the 2023 General Election is approaching its concluding stages.

“Arising from the Presidential and National Assembly elections held on 25th February 2023, the Commission promised Nigerians thet there will be improved processes during the Governorship and State Assembly elections heid yesterday, Saturday 18th March 2023.

“In keeping with this promise, we hed meetings with our Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and service providers, and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to renew processes and procedures would ensure more optimal delivery of personne! and materials to various locations for the election to facilitate the opening the Polling Units on time.

“Consequently, majority of the poling units nationwide opened on schedule and citizens were attended to promptly.

“Similarity, there was improved voter authentication using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) while the uploading of Polling Unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IRev) witnessed a remarkable improvement.

“We have left no stone unturned as far as the processes and procedures under the control of the Commission were concerned.

“However, for difficult and unforeseen circumstances outside the Commission’s control, we did our best to respond, especially where processes were disrupted by actors over whom we have little or 20 control.

“Such diabolical behavior did not only affect citizens but also impacted on the Commission’s officials and processes.

“INEC staff, both regular and ad-hoc were victims of violence.

“Some of our staff were abducted, harassed, intimidated, hospitalized and in one case killed.

“Nevertheless, where we could not deploy w enable citizens to vote, the Commission took the decision to remobilize to such places to enable citizens to exercise their franchise.

“Unfortunately, we could not extend the same to arcas where voting was disrupted, and election materials destroyed.

“We are keeping our cyes on those arcas and would not hesitate to remobilize where the outcome of the election is affected.

“At the moment, collation of results and declaration of winners for the 28 Governorship and 993 State Assembly elections are ongoing nationwide.

“We are committed to the sanctity of the process and will not hesitate to take drastic measures against proven irregularities.

“Allegations of voter inducement, harassment and manipulation of results will be renewed and addressed.

“Earlier today, the Commission alerted the nation to the invasion of our Obingwa, Local Government Area office in Abia State by thugs during the collation of results for the Governorship and State Assembly elections in contention was the collated result from the Registration Areas for the Governorship election in that Local Government Area.

“The intention was to force the collation of these contentious results.

“The behaviour of these thugs is unacceptable and there will be a thorough review of the results.

“The Commission does not take the patience of citizens for granted and will continue to take steps t protect the integrity of the vour and consolidate the progress so far in the electoral process.”