PDP governors mount pressure on INEC to announce result, suspect foul play

…As INEC moves collation to 10am Sunday

Some governors of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other stakeholders have mounted pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce the result of the gubernatorial election held in Edo State Saturday, suspecting element of foul play in the process.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, among others have have expressed sadness over undue delay in the announcement of the result after a successful election Saturday.

Meanwhile, the INEC has postponed collation of the gubernatorial election results to 10am, Sunday, September 22, 2024.

Read also: Edo: All eyes on INEC

In a statement, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Anugbum Onuoha, announced the development in the early hours of the morning following increased pressure from the PDP for the umpire to stick to the dictates of the electoral law, siting an earlier decision to jettison collation procedures.

“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.

Read also: Drama at INEC office as APC candidate, leaders demand Obaseki’s exit

PDP supporters had 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.

Governor Obaseki, his Delta counterpart, Sheriff Oborevwori and other concerned stakeholders raised the alarm over skipping of the collation procedures, as the Deputy Governorship candidate of the PDP, Osarodion Ogie, 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.