INEC threatens to cancel Kogi election results over violence, ballot box snatching

The Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Hale Longpet, says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), may be forced to cancel the presidential and NASS election results in the state as the exercise was marred by widespread violence and cases of ballot box snatching.

Longpet who gave the position of the electoral body in an interaction with journalists in Lokoja on Saturday night after the elections, said the warning became necessary as a result of crises that erupted in some local government areas.

Longpet noted that there were reports of thugs interfering with some polling units in Anyigba and Dekina in Kogi East and Mopa in the Kogi West, as well as parts of Kogi Central, where voting materials were allegedly carted away by thugs.

“You know the electoral law says that where there is a disruption to the process, the result will be cancelled, the very particular units’ results will be cancelled,” the REC said.

“The issues initially were only in the Kogi East and Central but I can’t tell exactly where and where in the state have been affected until the results are brought by the electoral officers.

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“We understood that because of the violence those affected areas couldn’t conclude the election there.

“I’m shocked that people can go to that level and disrupt something that everybody should have enjoyed.

“Election is a peaceful and willful thing that people are offered to freely participate in.

“Again, If people are given assurance that everyone will enjoy a pleasant experience, why then should we have thugs invading the whole town or the local government, disrupting the conduct of the elections?

“This is very sad and shocking, when you look at the loss of lives involved,” Longpet said.

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