The Resident Electoral Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission in Kogi State, Dr. Gabriel Longpet, said the collation of the results of the governorship election held in the state on Saturday will commence at 10 a.m. on Sunday, November 12.
Longpet made this known in an interview with The PUNCH in Lokoja.
The PUNCH reports that elections were held across the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
But the commission said it received reports from its officials in the state on electoral malpractices.
According to INEC, the incident of result sheets being completed before voting was a major issue, leading to the decision to suspend elections in some wards.
The places, according to the commission, include Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi and Okene Local Government Areas.
INEC said that the most serious incidents occurred in Ogori/Magongo, affecting nine of the 10 registration areas.
“This is entirely unacceptable. Any result not emanating from the Commission’s process in the Polling Units will not be accepted,” the Commission said in a statement signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner & Member Information and Voter Education Committee.
“The Commission is determined not to reward bad behaviour. Consequently, the election in the nine wards in Ogori/Magongo LGA (Eni, Okibo, Okesi, Ileteju, Aiyeromi, Ugugu, Obinoyin, Obatgben and Oturu) is at this moment suspended.
“The incidences in the other Local Government Areas are being thoroughly investigated, and the outcome, including the way forward, will be announced in the next 24 hours,” it said.(Punch)
