Following allegations of result allocation against a Presiding Officer (PO) in the Edo State Governorship election, Obozuwa Josephine, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced investigation on the claim raised against the umpire.
INEC added that complaints against Obozuwa was the second which the commission have received on the conducts of the electoral officers during the exercise across the state.
The investigation kicked off after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of Obozuwa, for brazenly allocating non-existent votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reacting over the allegations, the electoral umpire, in a short statement released on its official social media handle on Saturday night, promised to unsure fairness on the issue.
According to the statement, “The Commission’s attention has been drawn to an allegation of wrong figures entered into polling unit result sheets in the ongoing Edo State Governorship election.
“This is the second complaint we have received out of the 4,519 polling units used for the election.
“The Commission will immediately investigate the matter and deal with any proven infraction”.
The PDP had alleged that Obozuwa, who presided over the process at Osholo Primary School Polling Unit, Weppa in Etsako East Local Government allocated results to the All Progressives Congress.
According to the party, election result sheet for Osholo Primary School Polling Unit, Weppa in Etsako East Local Government Area shows that whereas 213 voters were accredited, Obozuwa Josephine criminally and fraudulently allocated 352 votes to the APC, 52 to the PDP and one to the LP, giving a total of 406 as votes cast.
This was disclosed through a statement released on Saturday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
According to the statement, It is highly provocative that the INEC PO Obozuwa Josephine could be so compromised by the APC to audaciously and feloniously allocate unearned 352 votes to the APC above the 213 voters officially accredited in that Polling Unit.
“This reckless act by Obozuwa Josephine is reminiscent of the criminal conduct of the former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Ari, during the 2023 Governorship election in that State, which provoked violent protest by the people and nearly led to the loss of lives of INEC officials.
‘Obozuwa Josephine should take note that this criminal action by her could provoke similar consequences.
“Our Party holds that Obozuwa Josephine’s action is one of the many cases of electoral fraud, ballot manipulation, betrayal of public trust and crime against the State perpetrated in this election by the APC and unscrupulous INEC officials which must not go unpunished.
“Nigerians can recall that the PDP had on several occasions alerted that the APC had compromised the INEC system by planting APC members as Polling Officers to manipulate the electoral process and alter results in favour of the APC.
“The PDP demands that INEC effects the immediate arrest and prosecution of the indicted Presiding Officer Obozuwa Josephine, cancel the election in Osholo Primary School Polling Unit and take steps to address other such infractions in this election.
‘Our Party again commends the people of Edo State for their vigilance and urges them to remain resilient till the end”.
