The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the rescheduled presidential and National Assembly elections in seven local government areas in Abia State.
INEC’s Head of Voter Education and Publicity in Abia State, Mrs. Rebecca Jim, who announced this in a statement, said a new date would be communicated in due time.
She said: “The proposed election in polling units where election could not hold on Saturday, February 25, 2023, in Abia State, scheduled for Monday, February 27, 2023, has been put on hold.
“You shall be communicated in due course on a new date.
“All inconveniences are highly regretted.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the INEC Administration Secretary in charge of Abia State, Mr. Clement Oha, had, on Sunday, addressed reporters in Umuahia, the state capital, about the proposed election.
Polling units in Abia
He said the election would be held at various polling units in Aba North, Aba South, Arochukwu, Obingwa, Osisioma, Ohafia and Umuahia North local government areas.
Oha explained that the fresh poll was due to result of various degrees of discrepancies in the procedures that were violent to some extent.
“The commission in their wisdom felt that the credibility of the election should not be compromised, and that there should be no winner by default.
“So, election must take place in the affected polling units tomorrow (Monday),” he had said.
Election in Anambra
Also, there shall be supplementary election in Anambra West and Anambra East Federal Constituency as INEC has detected over-voting in two polling units.
The Returning Officer, Dr. Ugochukwu Okafor, spoke yesterday at Otuocha in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Okafor noted that while the total number of accredited voters in the two affected polling units was 1,113, the total votes cast were 28,579.
He explained that at Polling Unit 004 at Umualum Square in Aguleri Ward 2, 555 voters were accredited, while at Polling Unit 007 at Umugalagu, also in Aguleri Ward 2, 558 voters were accredited.
He added that at the end of vote-counting, Mr. Peter Anaekwe of the Labour Party (LP) led with 14,847 votes, while Chief Chinedu Obidigwe of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) got 13,782 votes.
Obidigwe is the incumbent member of the House of Representatives for the constituency.
Dr. Okafor said in line with INEC regulations and the Electoral Act 2022, a new date shall be fixed to conduct fresh election in the two polling units.
