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Due to electoral violence, the Independent National Electoral Commission has threatened to annul the results in some Kogi State communities.
Hale Longpet, the state’s resident electoral commissioner, issued the caution in response to the issues that broke out in various local government areas while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lokoja.
There were allegations of violent incidents at several polling places in Anyigba, Dekina, and Mopa in the Kogi East, the Kogi West, and some locations in the Kogi Central, where voting supplies were allegedly taken by criminals.
The REC responded to the problems by saying,
“You know the electoral Law says that where there are disruptions to the process, the result will be cancelled, the very particular units’ results will be cancelled. The issues initially were only in the Kogi East and Central but I can’t tell exactly where and where in the state have been affected until the results are brought by the electoral officers.
“We understood that because of the violence, those affected areas couldn’t conclude election there. I’m shocked that people can go to that level and disrupt something that everybody should have enjoyed.”
In addition, the commissioner who lamented the deaths lauded the smooth voting process in some regions.
“Election is a peaceful and willful thing that people are offered to freely participate. 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 asked.
Mr. Longpet added, “This is very sad and shocking when you look at the loss of lives involved.”
He explained 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.”
He contends that those who want to improve their communities go out and vote or exercise their right to vote, and they shouldn’t be prevented from doing so or denied the chance.
