INEC Announces Fresh Elections In 59 Kogi Following Electoral Irregularities.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that fresh polls will be conducted in 59 polling units within the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The announcement was made on Sunday by INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna, with the fresh elections scheduled for Saturday, November 18, 2023.
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The decision comes in response to an update received from Kogi State, highlighting the suspension of elections in specific locations where result sheets were completed before the commencement of voting.
The statement issued by INEC underscores its commitment to investigating and addressing any irregularities, aiming to maintain the integrity of the electoral process.
The most critical incident, according to the commission, occurred in nine out of 10 wards in Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area, involving 59 polling units and 15,136 registered voters. These areas include Eni, Okibo, Okesi, Ileteju, Aiyeromi, Ugugu, Obinoyin, Obatgben, and Oturu.
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The decision to conduct fresh elections is 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.
INEC affirms its commitment to following the audit trail of personnel and materials to identify any complicity in undermining the electoral process and to apply appropriate sanctions where necessary.
As of Sunday evening, election results from 18 of the 21 local government areas in Kogi State had been collated. Notably, there is a closely contested race between the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Murtala Ajaka, and his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Usman Ododo.
This development follows earlier alerts raised by Dino Melaye, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), regarding “filled result sheets” in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area.
Melaye had also called for the suspension of the exercise, citing concerns over violence and vote-buying. In response, INEC suspended elections in nine wards in the affected local government area, highlighting the ongoing challenges and complexities of the electoral process in Kogi State.
