Delta APC petitions INEC over guber election, alleges collation of ‘false results’

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the outcome of the governorship election in the state.

The petition was signed by Godwin Anaughe, the APC state director of election and strategy.

Sheriff Oborevwori, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won the Delta governorship election with 360, 234 votes to defeat Ovie Omo-Agege of the APC, who polled 240, 229 votes.

But Anaughe said the collation of the results was not in line with the electoral act of 2022.

“Following the conduct and announcement of results, the Electoral Act makes provision for the collation of the announced results in order to determine the winner of the election,” Anaugbe said.

“The All Progressives Congress, in the course of this state collation exercise, has raised questions as to the correctness of the votes stated in the collated results being produced from many of the local government areas before the returning officer as it is contemplated under section 64(6) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“For the avoidance of doubt, without prejudice to the correctness of any collated result, as may arise from any inquest, the APC has disputed and is still disputing before this collation body, the correctness of the collated results from all polling units in the local government areas of the state.

“In Delta North senatorial district, all the nine councils were listed. They are Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Ika North East, Ika South, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, Ukwani, Ndokwa East and Ndokwa West.

“The areas listed in Delta South senatorial district are Bomadi (Only Wards 07, 08 and 09, that is, Akugbene 1, Akugbene 2 and Akugbene), Burutu, Patani, Warri North, Warri South West, Warri South and Isoko North. Delta Central senatorial district has the following: Ethiope East, Okpe, Ughelli South (only Wards 04, 05, 07 and 08), Sapele (Only Wards 02, 03, 05, 08 and 10).

“We know for a fact that every political party and candidate or its agent has the right to contest the correctness of any collated result pursuant to section 64(6) of the Electoral Act, 2023 and once that is done the collation officer or returning officer has a burden or mandatory DUTY to inquire into the disputed collated result by taking the steps outlined in this section of the Electoral Act. The collation officer does not have discretion in the matter.”

The party alleged that in the listed LGAs, there was a massive bypass of the BVAS and illegal entry of false results.