Nigeria: INEC to Cancel Elections in Parts of Kogi Over Violence

Thugs have been reported to have unleashed violence as voting was underway in some areas.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has threatened to cancel election effects of crisis-ridden areas in the time of the presidential and National Assembly elections in Kogi State

Hale Longpet, Kogi Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), sounded the warning at the same time reacting to the crises that erupted in some Local Government Areas at the same time talking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.

There have been experiences of thugs interfering with some polling items in Anyigba and Dekina within the Kogi East and Mopa within the Kogi West as nicely as elements of Kogi Central, the place voting resources have been allegedly carted away by the thugs.

“You know the electoral Law says that the place there are disruptions to the method, the end result shall be cancelled, the very precise items’ effects shall be cancelled.

“The problems initially have been solely within the Kogi East and Central however I can not inform precisely the place and the place within the state have been affected till the effects are delivered by the electoral officers.

“We understood that due to the fact that of the violence, these affected areas could not conclude election there.

“I’m shocked that humans can go to that stage and disrupt a thing that all people need to have loved.

“Election is a peaceable and willful factor that humans are presented to freely take part.

“Again, If people are given assurance that everyone will enjoy a pleasant experience, why then should we have thugs invading the whole town or the local government, disrupting the conduct of the elections?” he requested.

Mr Longpet added: “This is very sad and shocking when you look at the loss of lives involved.”

He defined that “election is not war so If you were standing in for election to provide services for your people, you don’t need to engage in these destructive activities.”

According to him, individuals who have the curiosity to deliver good matters to their communities do exit to positively have interaction and vote or workout their franchise and so they need to not be stopped or denied the chance.

He disclosed that he went out with heads of the safety operatives within the state in a motorcade to observe the elections establishing from Adankolo to Crucial, with the aid of to Kabawa and Falele.

He stated: “yet in all these places, we didn’t see anyone angry but people were all smiling and casting their votes peacefully.”