NigeriaDecides2015: Anxiety In Abia, Imo, Taraba As Supplementary Election Holds Today

Tension mounts in Abia, Imo and Taraba states as the fate of
Governorship candidate are determined in the supplementary elections
today.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had declared the
April 11 elections in the three states inconclusive due to
irregularities observed during the election which led to cancellation
of votes in some constituencies.

In Abia, the contest is between Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP and Alex
Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA; In Imo state, the
re-run is between Governor Rochas Okorocha of the APC, and Emeka
Ihedioha of the PDP; Taraba state also has Aisha Jummai Alhassan of
the APC and Darius Ishaku of the PDP as contestants.

In Abia State, INEC said elections would be conducted in some polling
stations in nine local government areas with combined registered
voters of 179,224.

It will hold in selected polling units in Aba North and South,
Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Umuahia North, Isiala Ngwa North, Obingwa, Ohafia
and Ikwuano.

In Imo state, the governorship poll was declared inconclusive,
following the cancellation of results in more than 250 polling units
in 23 of the 27 local government areas.

The state constituencies affected in the re-run include Ikeduru,
Isiala Mbano, Isu, Oguta, Owerri West, and Oru East.

INEC ordered the re-run election because of the 79,000 difference
between the votes scored by the leading and the second candidates.

In Taraba State, the cancelled votes were higher than the margin of winning.

INEC declared the governorship election inconclusive, saying the
number of cancelled votes totaling 127,125 were more than the 54,812
margin between the PDP candidate who polled 317,198 and the APC
candidate with 262,386 votes.

INEC Returning Officer in Taraba. Nigerian constitution and the
Electoral Act states that if the difference between the cancelled
votes was higher than the margin between the first and the second
person, elections should be declared inconclusive and a run off held.

The runoff election will be held in the whole of 165 polling units in
Donga Local Government Area and some polling units in Bali, Karim
Lamido, Takum, Ussa, Wukari, Yorro and Zing.

For the elections, INEC has insisted on the strict use of card readers
for accreditation and the permanent voter cards for the election.

Much of the focus is on Imo state, where APC candidate Rochas Okorocha
is being pushed hard by the PDP's Emeka Ihedioha.

Results of the supplementary elections are expected to come in after
collation, thereafter, winners will be announced.