Ondo: PDP Wins 19 Constituencies, APC 5

PDP expresses satisfaction with poll

James Sowole The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has won 19 out of the 24 seats in the House of Assembly declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The rival All Progressives Congress (APC), which won majority of seats in the National Assembly as well as the presidential election in the state in the March 28 election, won in only five constituencies.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, who re-echoed the results of the election announced earlier at various constituencies, said the results of the two constituencies in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state are still outstanding.

Agbaje at a news briefing at the INEC headquarters, Akure, said though the Returning Officers for Ilaje Constituency I and Ilaje Constituency II were forced to declare the results under duress by armed thugs, the officers in their separate reports to the REC had declared the results of the two constituencies inconclusive.

He disclosed that men of the Forward Operational Base (FOB) of the Nigerian Navy shot dead two of the hoodlums that fomented troubles in Ilaje Local Government.

Agbaje stated that the violence in Ilaje Local Government led to the cancellation in several polling units with a total registered voters that had effect on the final result if elections were not cancelled in those polling units. The REC therefore stated that the INEC National headquarters would make final pronouncement on the two constituencies.

Giving highlights on the performances of the two major political parties, the REC said Olotu Fatai of the PDP won in Akoko North East Constituency just as Araoyinbo Olugbenga and Towase Kuti Oluwasegunota also of the PDP won in Akoko North West 1 and Akoko South East respectively.

The REC also said PDP won in Akure North, Akure South 1, Ese-Odo, Idanre and Ifedore constituencies. Other constituencies won by PDP are Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo, Irele, Odigbo1, Odigbo II, Okitipupa I and Okitipupa II constituencies.

More constituencies won by the PDP are Ondo East, Ondo West I, Ondo West II, Ose and Owo I.

On the other hand, the rival APC won in Akure South II, Akoko North West I, Akoko South West II, Akure South II and Owo iI constituency.

While thanking various stakeholders for their support and cooperation with the INEC, Agbaje said the commission would work very hard to consolidate and deepen the country’s democratic process in line with the Electoral Act 2010 as amended and the 1999 Constitution.

Meanwhile, the PDP in the state has expressed pleasure and satisfaction that it won the House of Assembly elections across the state with a massive 19 seats, while the APC had five.

The PDP’s position was expressed in a statement signed by the party’s Director of Publicity, Ayo Fadaka. Fadaka said the party’s performance was a reinforcement of the confidence by the people in the party and the administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko. “It also underscores the commitment of our people to the peace of our state and its continual development, thus we thank and appreciate the people of this state for their trust, confidence and support for the party.

“We also note that this victory is a product of constructive consultations between the governor, party and stakeholders within the state and therefore pledge our commitment to effecting positive developments of infrastructures in the state.

“We also congratulate Governor Mimiko for the continued privilege of a perfect working relationship with the House of Assembly that is controlled by his party; this privilege will certainly ease the process of governance in our state,” he said.

Senator Esuene, while reacting to the result of the election as released by Independent National Elections Commission (INEC), demanded the cancellation of the governorship election, saying the entire exercise was marred by shortage of ballot papers and snatching of ballot boxes across the state.

For example, she said materials were not seen in Eket, Esit Eket, Onna among others places in the state, indicating that the contest was also characterised by violence among others malpractices.

“INEC as an organisation put in a lot of work to guarantee a free and fair election but the Nigerian public has displayed great indiscipline. INEC should cancel the result as the people are short changed and disenfranchised of their right to vote and their vote counted.”

“The exercise of yesterday (Saturday) was more of show of financial strength than the capturing of the wishes of the Akwa Ibom people. Voters were enticed with cash and goods everywhere and they cajoled into voting accordingly before they were given what was promised them. This is a clear departure from what the law says.

“Secondly, the state was infested by actionthirsty mercenaries imported from everywhere to, if need be, kill and go. Election materials were diverted on the way to the units, while some were forcefully taken away from units with the assistance of mercenaries to unknown destinations.”

Also, reacting to the conduct of the election, the former Governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah, said: “When I got to my unit a little before 10a.m. with my PVC in my hand and I looked around, the whole place was empty except for the people who came out to vote. I didn’t see any INEC staff.

“I said where are they? They said they are hiding somewhere. So we found them, brought them and told them that my name is Obong Victor Attah, the former governor of the state. I have come to vote, so I will like to do my accreditation.

“They said sorry sir. It is not possible. I asked why is it not possible? They said at the centre for the distribution of electoral materials, people came with machetes, guns and shot in the air. They carted away all the materials including INEC card readers.”

The governorship candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD), Mr Samuel Atanga, also said electoral materials were short in his wards.

He said, “In ward 2, Central Ikot Udota Unit, 300 ballots papers instead of 720 ballot papers were delivered, while Etebi Ikot Udota units received 270, instead of 632.”

Atang linked the crisis in the election to INEC, especially for the irregularities in the governorship and House of Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom State.

“I won’t want to say it is the political party’s affair because it is INEC who conducts the elections. Since the materials were in the hands of the INEC officials, it cannot be party, even though we understand the undertone,” he said

For Mrs. Mabel Johnson Ikoiwak, a top politician in Esit Eket, in Ward 4, Central Eket, the election and result released were very disappointing and equally called for the cancellation of the elections.

Result for eight constituencies were still being expected as at press time.