Confirms One Injured Office Stampede
Safiu Kehinde
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed surprise and anger at the presence of some political gladiators at its office in Benin in the wee hours of Sunday.
This was just as the commission confirmed that one person sustained injury as stampede ensued at the electoral body’s office over collation of Edo governorship election results.
This was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by INEC.
Expressing their concern over the disturbing incident, INEC condemned the disruption of the results collation process as they alleged the heavy presence and of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members at their office.
“The Commission received a deeply disturbing report from our Resident Electoral Commissioner of a threat to our office in Okpoba Okha Local Government Area yesterday, resulting in a stampede in which one of our officials was injured.
“We are similarly disturbed by the overnight presence and demonstrations by some political actors and their supporters at our State Head Office ahead of the commencement of final collation. These actions are uncalled for.
“Nobody should disrupt the process at any stage and no one will be allowed to benefit from lawlessness.” They said
Following the conclusion of voting yesterday, the Commission activated the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal and uploaded the Polling Unit results in earnest. The same results have also been collated from all the 192 Wards. Similarly, collation has been concluded in most of the Local Government Areas and the designated officials are already at the collation centre in Benin City or on their way. We are set to commence State-level collation.
NPO Reports that Governor Godwin Obaseki, the candidate of the PDP, Asue Ighodalo and the National Secretary of the APC Basiru Ajibola , had all gone to the commission’s office which sparked row in the early hours of today.