INEC to begin announcement of results Sunday evening

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will begin the announcement of results of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections Sunday evening, saying that the process had been concluded in Ekiti and the State Collation Officer was being expected in Abuja.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu made this known on Sunday in Abuja while giving an update on the conduct of the elections, where he mentioned that an electoral ad hoc staff was killed in rivers.

He said “Meanwhile, collation of results from yesterday’s elections continue nationwide. Almost all the states have concluded RA Collation and are now collating results at the LGA level. Some have commenced state level collation.

“We expect the state collation officers for the Presidential elections to start arriving at the National Collation Center later today and early morning tomorrow. Accordingly, the National Collation Center will be officially declared open today at 6pm.

READ ALSO: Reno Omokri questions EFCC’s role during elections

“Collation will commence as soon as the results arrive from the states. On this note, I wish to state that Ekiti state has already concluded the process. The state collation officer for the Presidential election is, as we speak, on his way to Abuja with the result of the Presidential election for Ekiti.”

According to him, the collation officer has also made returns in the National Assembly elections in Ekiti state.

He said though the commission was generally satisfied with the way Nigerians conducted themselves during the exercise, it was disheartening to note the killing of one of its ad hoc staff in Rivers by political thugs.

“While in all these attacks, electoral staff sustained injuries, we have unfortunately recorded the first fatality in Rivers state. An ad hoc staff, Mrs Ibiseki Amachree was hit by a bullet while returning from election duty in Degema. May her soul rest in peace. We condemn this attack and have lodged a comprehensive report with security agencies for expeditious investigation and prosecution of those involved”, he said.

This was as the INEC boss said the commission has also handed over one of its Electoral Officers in Imo to the Police for election duty infractions.

“All election duty personnel have sworn to an oath of neutrality. We have reports of possible dereliction of duty by some electoral officials. They refused to activate or deploy the smart card readers. The failure to fully account for materials for the elections, absconding from duty and a host of other infractions. In Imo state, one of our Electoral Officers had already been handed over to the Police. We will not tolerate violations against, or by our own officials”, he warned.

By Precious Akpadaka…

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now