INEC Explains Why It Quickly Announced Winner Of Kogi Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has opened up on why it immediately announced the winner of the Nov 11 governorship elections in Kogi state despite some local government areas being scheduled for a re-run due to electoral offences.

INEC had declared APC candidate, Usman Ododo the winner with 446,237 votes, while his closest rival, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party, garnered 259,052, and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party polled 46,362 votes.

INEC on Tuesday, November 14 said it applied the “margin of lead principle” in announcing the winner of the Nov. 11 governorship election in Kogi.

INEC said that the supplement election earlier scheduled for Nov. 18 would not take place as announced.

Mr Haliru Sule, Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Kogi INEC office, disclosed this in Lokoja.

Sule explained that the commission had received various complaints during Saturday’s election, investigated them, and announced a re-run in Ogorimagongo and some Local Government Areas.

“But when we looked at all that is in contention, we discovered that we have no option but to apply the margin of lead principle.

“The principle says that if the number of PVCs collected in polling units where elections didn’t hold or were cancelled, is not in excess of the difference between the winner and the loser, then the commission can go ahead and make its declaration.

“We did indeed announce after our findings that there will be a supplementary election in those areas in contention, but after due consideration of the difference, we applied the margin of lead principle.

“It was when we applied the margin of lead principle that we announced the result on Sunday, Nov. 12, and declared the winner of the governorship election in Kogi, in the person of Alhaji Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“As it is now, there’s not going to be any supplementary or re-run in any polling unit in Kogi.

“By this, the governorship election in Kogi is concluded. What is left is the date for the issuance of a certificate of return to the winner of that election,” he said.

“We hope to continue to get this kind of cooperation and support from all of them, particularly the politicians and the electorate, in subsequent elections in the state,” he said.