JUST IN: INEC suspends declaration of election results in Anambra

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Monday suspended the declaration of results in the Anambra State governorship election.

The Returning Officer for the election, Florence Obi, who announced this at 12.05 a.m. on Monday, said the decision to suspend the exercise was to allow for a supplementary election in the Ihiala local government area of the state.

The supplementary election will hold on Tuesday.

There are 148,407 registered voters in the area.

Obi, who cited relevant sections of the constitution, said the final collation of results cannot be done until the 326 polling units in Ihiala LGA are covered.

She said: “Based on constitutional considerations and provisions of the Electoral Act as well as revised regulations and guidelines for the conduct of election issued by the commission, a supplementary election is indicated for Ihiala local government area.

“Clause 47 of the revised regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections provides that supplementary election shall be conducted when the commission, due to logistical challenges is unable to deploy on election day.

“Given the foregoing, it becomes imperative to bring Ihiala local government area at par with the other 20 local government areas in this election before we can make a valid declaration or take any further action based on the extant law.

“Therefore, I, Prof. Florence Banku Obi, in my capacity as returning officer for this election, hereby announce the suspension of the process of collation of results and declaration of a winner until a supplementary election is held in the 326 polling units in Ihiala local government area of the state.”

 

READ ALSO: ANAMBRA: Confusion as officers on election duties disagree on Orumba LGA

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Prof. Charles Soludo, has won in 18 out of the 20 local government areas so far declared by INEC.

 

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