The Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State will hold new elections in 59 polling units, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stated on Sunday.
The commission has announced that the new election will take place on November 18, 2023.
The INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, made the announcement in a statement late on Sunday.
According to the electoral board, Kogi updated them on the situation with the suspension of polls in several locations in the state where result sheets were prepared before the beginning of voting.
INEC added that the decision does not change its steadfast resolve to investigate the audit trail of personnel and materials to identify individuals who may have been complicit in undermining the process and punish them accordingly.
Nine out of Ogori/Magongo LGA’s ten wards experienced “the most critical incident.” Elections in the other nine wards (Eni, Okibo, Okesi, Ileteju, Aiyeromi, Ugugu, Obinoyin, Obatgben, and Oturu) involving 59 polling units and 15,136 registered voters remain suspended,” part of the statement states.
In a statement, the commission said it had taken the action “in accordance with Section 24(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and Clause 59 of INEC Regulations and Guidelines on the Conduct of Elections 2022, a fresh election will be held on Saturday, 18th November 2023 in the affected polling units.”
According to MISMOB, as of Sunday night, election results have been tallied from 18 of the state’s 21 local government districts.
However, there’s a suggestion that the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Murtala Ajaka, and his All Progressives Congress (APC) opponent, Usman Ododo, are in a tight race.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dino Melaye, warned on Saturday of “filled result sheets” in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area in the state’s central region, as reported by MISMOB.
Melaye has also requested a delay in the process due to concerns about violence and vote-buying. As a result, nine wards in the local government area had their elections postponed by INEC.
Mismob Media