The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared inconclusive the Imo North senatorial by-election which held at the weekend.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Arinze Agbogu, in arriving at the decision said the total number of registered voters in the areas where voting was either not held or cancelled exceeded the margin between the two leading candidates, adding that results of 15 polling units were cancelled for alleged irregularities in Isiala Mbano Local Council .
The returning officer said the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag-bearer, Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu polled 48,921 votes against the 40,142 tally garnered by his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) opponent and former occupant, Chief Athan Achonu.
According to Agbogu, the 8,777 difference was less than the 13,919 registered voters in the rest areas where a fresh poll is to be held at a date yet to be announced.
Voting in the six councils of the senatorial district witnessed low turn-out perhaps due to the heavy downpour.
Isiala Mbano and Oru East constituencies were both declared inconclusive due to alleged violence and snatching of ballot boxes, especially in Okata and Amir I of Oru East Local Council as well as some communities in Isiala Mbano Council of the state.The Appeal Court sitting in Owerri, the state capital had last December voided Achonu’s election, ordering a re-run within 90 days.
The Accord Party candidate at the 2015 poll, Mrs. Rita Ibemena, had sued INEC for excluding her party’s logo from the ballot paper.But when the election was earlier scheduled for February, a group of youths protested, leading to its indefinite postponement by the electoral umpire.
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