The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm that Gov. Godwin Obaseki has compromised some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel more results in their strong hold in Ovia South West Constituency House of Assembly elections conducted on March 18.
APC alleged that the governor had mount pressure on the electoral body that led to the cancellation of entire Nikorogha ward in the constituency that the APC candidate had won clearly.
The chairman of APC in the council, Hon. Emmanuel Ogbomo, who raised the alarm, said they are aware that the Governor is using a retired INEC Director to perpetrate the act.
He said “We have it on good authority that the Governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki is still mounting pressure on Independent National Electoral Commission to cancel more wards, including Umaza and Ofunama.
“We are aware he is using a retired INEC Director who is his cousin to compromise some staff of the commission.
“While we are condemning the total cancelation of Nikorogha ward where the returning officer declared a result and even signed to an avidavit that the election was peaceful, INEC want to further play on our intelligence”
“Any further attempt to cancel other wards to pave way for Governor Obaseki to install his party’s candidate elections will meet stiff resistance.
“Governor Godwin should go and face his constituency where he is still struggling to win and not impose his candidate on ovia south west people through the back door.
“INEC should be reminded that the commission is a federal establishment and not an arm of the Edo state Government House that Governor Obaseki can use as he likes.”
In his reaction, The INEC Director of Voters Registration and Publicity, Edo state Timidi Wariowe debunked the allegation and said supplementary election will only hold in ward or unit uploaded on the commission’s portal.
He said, “INEC is not working with anyone, any decision taken by the commission was based on the returning officer’s report and where supplementary elections will be held have been uploaded on INEC website, anything other than that is false.”
