- Safiu Kehinde
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended collation of Edo state governship election results over security concern.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Anugbum Onuoha, made this announcement in a statement issued on Sunday.
The suspension, according to the statement, came as a result of alleged pressure from the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) supporters demanding strict adherence to the electoral law.
Meanwhile, the REC announced the resumption of collation exercise by 10am on Sunday.
“This is to inform the general public, political stakeholders and observers that the collation of results for the ongoing Edo State Governorship election will resume today (Sunday) 22nd September, 2024 at 10.00am,” the REC said.
PDP supporters had, reported, stormed the State INEC office after the umpire had stopped collation in several local governments in Edo South and moved the exercise to the state party secretariat over supposed security concerns.
NPO earlier reported moment Governor Obaseki was ordered out of INEC’s office.
The outgoing governor and his Delta counterpart, Sheriff Oborevwori and other concerned stakeholders have raised the alarm over skipping of the collation procedures, as the Deputy Governorship candidate of the PDP, Osarodion Ogie Esq., noted that collation was halted in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area and moved to the State INEC office with party agents restricted from accessing the collation exercise.