The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, announced on Sunday that fresh elections will be held in 59 polling units in Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The electoral umpire had earlier suspended polls in the LGA pre-filled election results discovered in some polling units.
November 18 has been fixed for the fresh polls.
Meanwhile, Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) flagbearer in Kogi, has urged INEC to cancel the off-cycle election amid its final collation of results.
Melaye claimed that in many areas where he won, officials of the electoral umpire allegedly failed to provide result sheets to record the votes.
This allegation was made during his press briefing on Sunday in Lokoja, the state’s capital.
“Yesterday in the five local governments of central senatorial district in Kogi state, there was no election. In the end surprisingly, accreditation was done manually, the BVAS was not used.
“Prepared sheets manifested even before accreditation and evidence is all over media.
“INEC as matter of urgency must cancel the election. Many areas where I won, my agents were told there were no available result sheet to enter the result and we have evidence to back up these claims.
“As I speak to you, it is shameful that this is what our democracy has descended to. INEC has manifested ever than before, that they cannot be trusted, they are biased, they are compromised, and they cannot be a neutral umpire, ” Melaye said, alleging INEC officials, youth corps members were caught with prepared result sheets even before the commencement of the voting exercise.
Melaye’s call followed a similar appeal by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Muritala Ajaka, who called for cancellation of the election in Kogi Central.
Kogi has 21 LGAs and results from 18 LGAs have been announced so far. The electoral umpire reconvened for final collation an hour ago.
