INEC suspends Announcement of Imo Governorship Results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended collation and announcement of results of the Imo State governorship polls following protests at the collation centre today.

NAN reports that the protest began when the returning officer from Ideato South was asked by the Imo REC, Professor Francis Ezeonu to commence the announcement of Ideato South result.

A few moments after the returning officer commenced the announcement, an agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Onyeagocha and others from Democratic Alternative (DA) and Redemption Party (RP) began protesting.

An argument then ensued as the PDP agent alleged that the figures from Ideato South had been inflated to favour the Action Alliance (AA) candidate.

As the protest ensued, the result sheet from the LGA was torn.

While rejecting the announcement of the results, Onyeagocha claimed that the PDP and other party agents were intimidated at the local government collation centre, urging the REC to cancel the result.

The Imo returning officer, Professor Francis Otonta and Ezeonu were taken to safety while security operatives arrested the PDP agents and others involved in the arguments.

The announcement of results from Imo State has since been suspended in the meantime.