Okorocha Schocked As INEC declares Imo election inconclusive

Rochas Okorocha

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared as inconclusive, Saturday’s governorship election in Imo state.

The electoral body took the decision because of the huge number of cancelled votes (144,715) in relation to the margin of win (79,529) by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Rochas Okorocha.

The Returning Officer, Professor Ibidapo Obe, declared the election inconclusive, adding that a new date would be announced for a supplementary election in the cancelled wards spread across several local government areas.

Mr. Okorocha was initially thought to have won the election after he garnered 385,671 votes compared to the 306,142 votes scored by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Emeka Ihedioha.

The APC candidate is ahead of Mr. Ihedioha by 79,529 votes, which is by far lower than the 144,715 votes cancelled by INEC as a result of irregularities in some wards.

Naija247news recalled that the declaration was a repeat of INEC’s action in the governorship election held in the state on the 26th of April, 2006.

At the time, the commission declared the poll inconclusive because election did not hold in Ohaji/Egbema, Mbatioli, Ngor-Okpala and Oguta Local Government Areas as well as in Orji Ward in Owerri North Local Government Area.