7th January, 2011
Former Delta State governor and PDP candidate in yesterday’s rerun election, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has widened his lead in the election after more results were announced today by the INEC boss, Attahiru Jega.
Results from 21 local government areas had been announced, while those from three council areas were being expected as at press time.
Uduaghan was leading in 12 of the councils while his closest rival, Great Ovedje Ogboru of the DPP won in the remaining 8 councils.
The result from Ughelli Local Government area was cancelled due to irregularities.
Violence marred election in Ughelli local government area leading to cancellation of results from the area.
INEC said there was shooting and that casualties were recorded as a result, adding that some buildings were burnt.
The commission also accused Ogboru of storming the INEC office with his supporters who threatened mayhem if the outcome of the election did not favour them.
Ogboru was reported to have protested at the INEC office.
He criticised INEC for using the old voter register and for cancelling the entire result of the election in Ughelli North where he claimed he was primed to win.
Though the voting exercise across the state was generally successful, things took a turn for the worse after voting had been concluded as there were widespread incidents of ballot snatching and a few skirmishes.
INEC returning officers from about 15 local government areas reported cases of irregularities. Election results from such polling units marred by irregularities and minor disturbances were thus voided by INEC collation officers.
Some INEC ad-hoc staff were beaten up in some local governments that witnessed such irregularities like Ndokwa East and West, Sapele, where polls in 26 poling units were cancelled, Ethiope West where the collation officer voided votes in six poling units, because of “incidents of threat to lifeâ€.
Cases of people prevented from voting were also commonplace due to the absence of their names in the INEC voter register.
Those affected who had temporary cards protested but INEC boss, Attahiru Jega told press men last night in Asaba that the commission found that some party men went to print fake voters card, reason INEC insisted on using the voter register.
— Tokunbo Olajide & Yomi Obaditan
