Labour Party interrupts Enugu governorship announcement process after it mobilized its members to stage a protest at INEC gates this morning.
Our correspondent reports that Enugu INEC has yet to appear at the collation centre by 9.30 a.m. to declare the winner of Saturday’s governorship elections.
Last night, the INEC returning officer asked parties to submit their grievances in writing before this morning.
He indicated that without this, INEC was going to collate the results it has announced and declare a winner by 8.00 a.m..
PDP ahead after LGA results are in
The full result from the LGAs are in and announced. It shows the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a strong lead, with 16,546 votes ahead of the Labour Party.
The PDP also won 9 out of the 17 LGA results announced while Labour prevailed in 8 LGAs.
Interestingly, both parties garnered over 25% of the votes in almost all places where each placed second.
However, Labour yesterday protested the results from one of the LGAs, Nkanu East.
In the same way, PDP also protested the result from Nsukka LGA where over 30,000 votes were also counted.
More votes were recorded at Nsukka (41,180) than were counted at Enugu East (32,841).
Enugu Metro correspondents report that both parties used the two LGAs to shore up their votes in their desperation to win. However, they ended up in a stalemate.
‘State your concerns in writing’
State electoral returning officer, Prof Madu Ofor Iwe, yesterday calmed frayed nerves by asking both Labour and the PDP to follow due process.
This is Enugu and you are brothers, he said. The INEC officer asked any of the parties with misgivings to formally express them in writing.
He promised that INEC will examine such protests and decide on their merit or otherwise before declaring a winner by 8.00 a.m. this morning.
In the absence of a formal protest, INEC will collate the results announced so far and declare a winner today, he said.
Labour interrupts process with protest
Enugu Metro Correspondent at INEC Collation Centre says INEC is yet to arrive at the Centre as at 9.30 this morning.
This may be because Labour Party mobilized its members to interrupt the process by massively mobilizing its members to stage a protest at INEC gates.
“It appears the party may not have submitted a formal protest, hence the resort to civil action,” our reporter said.
The wait continues.
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