Nigerians React As INEC Decides On New Elections In 59 Polling Units For Gubernatorial Race

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On Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that fresh elections would take place in 59 polling units within the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State…CONTUNUE READING

The commission specified that this new election is scheduled for the upcoming Saturday, November 18, 2023. INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, issued this statement on Sunday night.

INEC received an update from Kogi indicating the suspension of elections in certain locations where result sheets were completed before voting began.

The electoral body clarified that this decision does not compromise its commitment to scrutinize the audit trail of personnel and materials to identify any complicity in undermining the process and apply appropriate sanctions as needed.

The most significant incident occurred in nine out of 10 wards in Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area, involving 59 polling units and 15,136 registered voters.

Elections in these nine wards remain suspended, as stated by the commission. The decision to conduct a fresh election aligns with Section 24(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and Clause 59 of INEC Regulations and Guidelines on the Conduct of Elections 2022.

As of Sunday evening, election results from 18 out of the 21 local government areas in the state had been collated.

However, there are indications of a tight race between the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Murtala Ajaka, and his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Usman Ododo.

On Saturday, Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, raised concerns about “filled result sheets” in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area, leading to violence and vote-buying. Subsequently, INEC suspended elections in nine wards in the mentioned local government area.