APC kicks, as DSIEC declares PDP candidates winners in Delta LG poll

Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) has declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner in all the chairmanship seats in the 25 Local Government Areas of the state.

But the major opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), which withdrew from the exercise midway on Saturday, described the exercise as a sham as against the PDP which has adjudged the poll as not only peaceful but free and fair.

Tribune Online had earlier reported that the poll was generally marred with voter apathy, the delayed supply of electoral materials or the non-supply of them and alleged desertion of some polling units officials of DSIEC among others.

APC, in a follow-up statement to the one earlier issued on Saturday announcing its withdrawal, hinged its boycott on the “absence of original elections results’ sheets and total absence of election materials in all the Local Government Areas in the state,” saying there was absolutely no election.

In the statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Sunday Imoniesa, the party alleged that the PDP and Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa in collaboration with DSIEC cheated and made a mess of the local government poll.

“That is, there were elections manipulations to wit; non-provision of results’ sheets and materials for the day’s elections in most Local Government Areas of the State.

“Information available to the party is that there are certain misconceptions about the position of the Party as it relates to the Party’s press statement of yesterday.

“The Party states unequivocally that the “purported elections” and/or predetermined DSIEC, PDP and Gov Ifeanyi Okowa activity that took place yesterday was a charade, as same did not meet up with the internationally acceptable standard and best practices,” he reiterated.

The party, therefore, urged its “candidates with pre-election cases pending against DSIEC, PDP and whomsoever to pursue those pre-election cases with vigour as they bother on qualifications of candidates to stand for the elections, as they do not fall within the precinct of the earlier position (the Party press statement of yesterday) of the party.”

But the PDP in a swift reaction said it was not “surprised by the naive action and well-known attention-seeking habit of APC to wait until election day to withdraw.”

The party said that “the decision of the opposition party is of no consequence to the electoral process, especially since the stipulated time for all party activities concerning the elections to end, had since elapsed.”

Speaking on the PDP’s victory on Sunday, Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communications, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, averred that the APC goofed, yet again.

He posited that PDP has been vindicated as APC failed woefully in the just concluded council elections, pointing out that the political supremacy of PDP is so intense that the main opposition party, should not dream of making any significant impact in future elections, especially 2023 general elections.

Meanwhile, Chairman DSIEC, Chief Mike Ogbodu, who spoke at the commencement of the announcement of the results in Asaba, said the conduct of the elections were peaceful across the state.

The results announced by the returning officers of each of the local government areas indicated that candidates of the PDP won in the 25 council areas.

The chairmanship candidates who were declared winners were; Mr Kelvin Okwuejime, Aniocha North, Jude Chukwuwike, Aniocha South, William Angadi, Bomadi, Godknows Agali, Burutu, Victor Ofobrukuta, Ethiope East, Victor Ebonka, Ika North East, Sunny Tatabuzorgwu, Ika South, Christain Itire, Isoko North, Victor Asasa, Isoko South, Joan Governor, Ndokwa East and Godwin Obi-Njete, Ndokwa West.

Others included Iziaih Esovwain, Okpe, Dr Richard Kofi, Ughelli South, Godwin Adode, Ughelli North, Solomon Agede, Ukwuani, Ramson Onoyake, Uvwie, Smart Yemi Asekutu, Warri North, Dr Micheal Tidi, Warri South, Duke Tuoyo, Warri SouthWest, Innocent Esewezie, Oshimili North, Kelvin Ezenyili, Oshimili South, Isaac Aguana, Patani, Eugene Unuagha, Sapele and Brown Onajite, Udu.

Ogbodu said the PDP candidate for Ethiope West, Mr Oghenedoru Owoso, was returned unopposed, adding that Certificates of Return would be presented to the Chairmen-Elect, 10:00 am on Monday.

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APC kicks, as DSIEC declares PDP candidates winners in Delta LG poll

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APC kicks, as DSIEC declares PDP candidates winners in Delta LG poll