INEC Declares Elections In Abia, Imo And Taraba Inconclusive

 

UPDATE 16/04/2015:

The Imo state governorship rerun election has been fixed for April 25th in 256 polling units. INEC had on Sunday April 12th declared the election between APC candidate, incumbent governor Rochas Okorocha and PDP candidate, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps, inconclusive following some electoral irregularities. 

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Following the irregularities that crowned the Saturday's Governorship elections in Abia, Imo and Taraba states INEC returning officer of the named three states have declared all results from the states void and the elections inconclusive by 

While briefing newsmen in Umuahia, Abia State INEC RI, Prof Benjamin Ozumba said irregularities in the number of registered voters in areas where elections were cancelled or did not hold was higher than the margin of difference between the leading candidates of the PDP and the All Progressive Grand Alliance in the election. 

Likewise, the INEC Returning Officer-Imo state and Vice Chancellor of Federal University Abakiliki, Ebonyi State Professor Ibidapo Obe, who made the declaration around midnight on Sunday at INEC Headquaters, Owerri, said the decision was taken following cancellation of election in several wards and polling booths across the state. Saying the total number of registered voters in the affected areas were highly significant to determining the outcome of the election.

While the state Resident Electoral Officer for Taraba State, Mr Ahmed Makamma said the election results from Donga Local Government Area has been cancelled following high number of cancelled votes in the LGA. Adding that the PDP governorship candidate, Mt Darius Ishiaku is leading with 53, 000 votes while the only female governorship candidate in this election, Hajia Aisha Alhassan of the APC is coming second in the race going by the results collated so far. "So that makes the election inconclusive, because if you look at the margin at the moment is 53, 000 and the number of cancelled votes is 127, 125, so there will be a runoff election to determine who the winner is”, he said.

A rerun elections will be conducted in the three states.