The Independent Ntional Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday rejected election results presented at the commission’s state office in Asaba for Ika North-east Local Government due to discrepancy in the figures presented.

Ika North-east is the home area of the Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

Specifically, the Delta State INEC Collation Officer, Prof Abraham Georgewill Owuneri, noted that INEC could not accept the result for the local government area because the total number of accredited voters for the area was different from the number of votes reportedly cast.

According to the results presented by the Electoral Officer for Ika North-east, Dr James Olisa, the total number of accredited voters at February 25, 2023 presidential election is 30,105 while the total number of votes cast is 31,681. The local government area has 130,247 registered voters, he said, adding that a total of 3,206 votes were rejected.

Nonetheless, the rejected result for Ika North-east had showed that Governor Okowa’s party had won the election in the area with a total of 16,696 votes, Labour Party (LP) secured 8,908 votes while the All Progressives Congress (APC) had 1,902 votes.

In Ika South Local Government Area, which forms the other half of Ika Federal Constituency, the PDP was thrashed by Labour Party which polled a total of 17,868 votes to the PDP’s 7,485 votes.

The APC came a distant third after securing a total of 3,290 votes of the 29,763 valid votes cast, the Electoral Officer, Mr Alex Ani stated.

In Aniocha North, the result presented by the Electoral Officer, Emeke Onyeme, the LP also garnered 11,628 votes out of the 17,276 valid votes cast in the locality, leaving PDP and APC to trail behind with 3,783 and 1,146 total votes, respectively.

Mr Peter Obi’s LP also won the election in Ethiope East Local Government Area, home to influential politicians like Chief Great Ogboru, the governorship candidate of APGA, and Chief Evance Evwurie, formerly of the Delta State House of Assembly.

According to the Electoral Officer, Ms Josephine Crossday, the LP and Obi won a total of 10,199 of the 21,182 valid votes cast; PDP won 5,403 votes; and, APC got 3,850 votes.

In Oshimili North Local Government, which is the home base of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Chief Patrick Ukah, the LP also recorded an overwhelming victory, garnering 14,929 votes while the PDP and APC managed 4,796 and 1,688 votes, respectively.

The Electoral Officer for the area, Mr. Emannuel Okonta, said that 22,247 of the 23,795 votes only were valid while 1,548 votes were voided.

Meanwhile, the result for Ika North-East Local Government Area, which was represented about one hour later by the electoral officer after the initial rejection by INEC, showed that Atiku Abubakar and the PDP won with 16,696 votes, to the 8,980 votes scored by LP and 1,902 votes for the Bola Tinubu and the APC.

Results for the remaining 20 local government areas of the state are expected to be presented and subsequently declared by INEC on Monday (today). (THISDAY)

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