The February 3 rerun election for Enugu Enugu south Urban constituency has been marred by claims of missing result sheets.
A Chieftain of the Labour Party, Barr. Lucky Chukwu had accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of handing over the result sheets to another political party.
He said the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Chukwuemeka Chukwu in collusion with the Electoral Officer, Francis Chigbo absconded with the result sheets, which have already been filled figures waiting for the announcement.
Addressing newsmen at the charged atmosphere, the Senator Representing Enugu East federal Constituency, Senator Kelvin Chukwu said: “I was rightly informed that the Election has been compromised, I’ve told INEC and that is what is causing the problem. Since INEC does not want to show the result sheets, that means there is a problem and I’ve spoken with the police and the army.
“My demand is that the original Result sheets should be shown to the voters, but I ask for calm in this situation.”
Similarly, the member representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Chimaobi Sam Atu said most of his constituents came out to cast their vote and presently, the election hasn’t started and the report were getting is that they’ve written the results and that’s why they’ve refused to show these materials to the voters.
“The people are demanding for free and fair election and thats what I stand for. What INEC is doing today isn’t a way to promote new Nigeria. We must eschew personal interest in carrying out national assignments.
“I met the EO, I asked him what’s happening, what about the result sheets and he has been dodging us. I don’t know the kind of election they want to conduct without the result sheets.
However, the candidate of the PDP for the election, Hon Sam Ngene accused Senator Chukwu of causing problem in the election, noting that the Senator is not from the Constituency and wondered why he was close to the election venue.
“What we’re talking about here in Uwani ward 5 is 8 polling units; 3 in Uwani Secondary school, 5 in Robinson primary school. We’ve done all we’re supposed to do as a party, we campaigned vigorously, mobilized and motivated our supporters and they’re here in their numbers.
But some people decided to create problem where there’s non. It’s unfortunate that our distinguished Senator left his LGA to come and cause this problem.
Speaking on the alleged result sheets, he Ngene said: “Result sheets are not my business, I’m not a staff of INEC, if anybody is laying allegation, he should be ready to prove it. They should allow the INEC officials to settle first and start the process, then we can talk about the result sheet.
The Chairman of the PDP in Enugu South, Hon. Freedom Nnam, also alleged that the Senator is obstructing the conduct of the election in a free and fair atmosphere.
He expressed confidence that his party will win the election.
One of the agents of the Labour party wondered why the election should go ahead when the duplicate result sheet the REC came with is a result sheet from 2023 general election.
“How can you conduct election with duplicate of result sheet from 2023 general election for 2024 bye-election. If INEC isn’t ready for this election, they should cancel it and reschedule it,” he said.
Speaking on the development, the State REC, Dr. Chukwu who came to the polling booth about 12 pm, said “the political parties demanded that in line with the electoral act the result be shown to them. So when I got the information I quickly rushed to this place to calm the situation down and proffer solutions. In line with the electoral act, if the result sheet is missing, what we are going to issue is replacement.
“So I am here to tell the whole world that whatever anybody is saying, in line with the law, if any result sheet is altered before the election, the INEC has every power to issue a replacement result sheet or any material that is tampered with. So here is the replacement of the result sheets. I am going to stamp it and countersign it so that voting will commence shortly in this place.”
When asked the whereabouts of the Electoral Officer, EO and the Supervising Presiding Officer, SPO, the REC said he did not know. He also claimed ignorance of what happened to the original result sheets.
Voting was yet to commence as at the time of filing this report.
