8th April, 2015
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has sacked two Electoral Officers attached to Oredo and Orhiomwon Local Government areas of Edo State, southern Nigeria, over their alleged involvement in the disappearance of result sheets provided for elections in those areas in the 28 March Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barrister Mike Igini, who announced this during a meeting with the leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, also disclosed that other officers of the Commission were being interrogated over alleged malpractices in the last elections, adding that those involved may face prosecution.
Igini told leaders of the various political parties that after a meeting with the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, in Abuja, the Commission decided that elections will be conducted in those areas where they had to postpone the elections due to late arrival of voting materials and disappearance of result sheets.
According to him, areas where elections are rescheduled to hold include the entire Orhiomwon Local Government area, six wards in Uhumwonde, some wards and units in Ikpoba Okhai, Ovia North East, Ovia South West and Oredo Local Government areas.
He said the winner of the Edo South Senatorial District election will emerge through a simple majority, adding that the winner could only emerge after elections were held in those areas.
“Orhiomwon election is also very important because apart from the senate, we also have a House of Representatives seat at stake in that area. So the result will also be determined after the Orhionmwon and Uhumwonde elections,” Igini said.
He emphasised that card readers will be used for the Saturday elections across the state.
There was however war of wards between PDP and APC leaders when Igini listed the areas where the rescheduled elections will hold.
The leaders of the two parties made allegations and counter allegations about the plot to rig the elections using some electoral officers.
Tempers flared as those areas mentioned did not go down well with the PDP leaders, including the State Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, former Deputy Governor, Lucky Imasuen and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who insisted that election held in some parts of Orhiomnwon and therefore the results should stand.