UMUTU/Nigeria: The issue of the inconclusive election of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, Ward 1C, Umutu, Ukwuani Local Government Area, has continued to generate interests with various parties to the election, claiming victory, in an election which the election umpire, DSIEC, had announced inconclusive, due to electoral violence.
While the general public awaits the next step by DSIEC, the agents of the ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in their reports had called for total cancellation of the result, as the election was characterized with irregularities, intimidation of voters, and open vote buying.
According to the agents, the venue of the election was populated with individuals who has nothing to do with the election in that area, as they were not registered to vote within the precint of the Ethiope Primary School, which was the centre of the election for the entire ward.
The report also indicted some party chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for anti party, as they were said to have openly campaigned against the candidate of the Peopes Democratic Party, Mr. Eze Edike, who was accused of leaving their camp, to the camp of the present Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.
The agents in the report, stated that the candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, could not be declared as the winners with the overwhelming evidence of his supporters, who openly gave out the sum of N500.00 to voters at the venue, and were further threatened to openly show the party they voted for, or will be forced to return the money given to them.
The report also, accused one Mr David Ochonogor, an All Progressive Congress, chieftain, to have come to the venue of the election blaring siren to intimidate the voters, and at same time openly mobilizing members of his party, and others to vote for the candidate of the NNPP.
The agents stressed that there is no need for any negotiation, but to allow DSIEC to conduct fresh poll in the ward to elect a councilor to represent the ward.
“From the aforementioned reasons, electorates did not cast their vote freely but were under intimidation, vote buying, thugs created fear for voters to exercise their right.”
“We therefore call for the cancellation of the election Conducted on 6th March. 2021 at Umutu Ward 1C.”
It further accused some persons of double voting.
