PDP Sweeps Delta Poll … “This Is A Big Sham” – APC Rejects Result
Nigeria’s major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been declared the winner in twenty-three (23) out of the twenty-five (25) local government areas of Delta State in Saturday’s council elections.
This was disclosed by the chairman of Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), Mike Ogbodu, who announced results on Sunday, January 7 in Asaba, the state capital.
Ogbodu said elections were postponed in Ethiope East and Ughelli North areas due to reports of violence which resulted in the burning of the DSIEC office in Ughelli, adding that election in the two council areas will be held on Tuesday, January 9.
“Following the completion of collation and counting of results from the chairmanship and councillorship elections held last Saturday across the state, I wish to announce that the PDP won the chairmanship elections in 23 local government areas,” he said.
“Election in Ethiope East and Ughelli North were postponed due to reports of hostility that were deemed not suitable for the conduct of elections.
“However, the Commission wishes to announce that chairmanship and councillorship elections in the two local councils will now hold on Tuesday, January 9, 2018”, Ogbodu said.
The DSIEC Chairman said PDP also won 424 councillorship seats across the state, adding that 59 councillorship candidates of the PDP were returned unopposed.
Ogbodu said councillorship elections could also not hold in Ward 2 and Ward 4 in Oshimili North local government area because of a court order restraining the conduct of elections there.
The DSIEC Chairman said the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) won one councillorship seat in Ward 2, Aniocha North local government area.
Meanwhile, the Delta state APC has rejected the result, describing the conduct of the election and subsequent results as a “big sham”.
The State chairman of the APC, Jones Erue, expressed the party’s position in a statement made available to journalists on Sunday.
Erue also alleged that the election was conducted without substantial compliance with relevant laws.
