Delta State electoral commission declares results in 22 councils, reschedules others

The Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) yesterday declared 22 chairmanship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winners in Saturday’s council poll.

However, elections did not hold in Ughelli North Council where the commission’s office was razed and Ethiope East, which recorded violence.

Chairman of the commission, Mike Ogbodu, who supervised the announcement of the results in Asaba, rescheduled the election in the two councils for tomorrow.

Ogbodu said the result for Ika South could not be declared due to the absence of the returning officer who is said to be indisposed.

On the councillorship seats, Ogbodu said PDP won 424 seats while the APC won in only ward 02 of Aniocha North Local Council.

He said in accordance with section 46(1) of DSIEC Law, 2017, 59 councilors of the PDP were returned unopposed, adding that the postponement in Ughelli North and Ethiope East was backed by section 33 (1&2) of the law.

“The result of the councillorship elections in Otor-Owhe ward 01 of Isoko North Local Council is yet to be declared due to an order of the High Court of Justice, Delta State sitting in Ibusa,” Ogbodu said.

Meanwhile, former Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan and a coalition of Delta civil society groups, which monitored Saturday’s council election in the state, condemned the violence that trailed the exercise.

While condemning the violence during the election on his Facebook page, Uduaghan said the violence was clearly avoidable.

He said: “For us, it was electoral violence at our council elections conducted on Saturday, January 6, 2018. The violence is totally condemnable. It was also preventable. 

“Some actions are provocative but some provocations can be peacefully managed. A life lost can never be recovered.  

“As we get closer to 2019, it is time to reflect and pray. Let us work towards peaceful electoral processes. If you do not win today, it is not the end. There is the tribunal. You can win tomorrow.” 

However, a coalition of civil society groups in Delta state that monitored the election have released the names of two All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains who masterminded the arson and destruction of electoral materials at the DSIEC office in Ughelli North Council.