Isoko Federal May Be Declare ‘Inconclusive’ As APC Maintains Early Lead

The house of representatives election in Isoko Federal constituency may be declared ‘inconclusive’ following alleged malpractices in some part of the Isoko South and North local government area of Delta State.

Credible sources told BIGPEN NIGERIA that some top shot of the PDP are currently mounting pressure on INEC to declare the candidate of the party as winner of the election despite the cancellation of over 17,000 votes that were cancelled in two wards in the area.

Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, the All Progressives Congress, (APC), House of Representatives candidate for Isoko Federal constituency, according to results so far declared by the commission is leading his Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), opponent and the incumbent minority leader of the house of representatives, Leo Ogor with 250 votes in Isoko South.

However, Ogor is leading with 3,000 votes in Isoko North council area while 17, 000 votes from two wards have so far been cancelled.

“For the past over 10 hours, PDP big wigs in Isoko have been meeting and mounting pressure on INEC to declare their candidate the winner of the elections. Please I am only talking to you in confidence, huge sums of cash have been raised and once my “Ogas” accept the money then the PDP is the winner, but as I talk to you every official of the commission is seriously afraid to manipulate the results.

“Normally, with the way it is now, as a commission we are supposed to declare the house of representatives election inconclusive and fix another date for the election going by the electoral acts.

“Though, the development has been brought before our boss in Asaba, I am talking about the Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC), and as a man of integrity which we know, the right thing will be done according to the electoral acts rather than falling to compromise.” an INEC official said anonymously.

But a PDP agent who craved for anonymity said, “the election will be declared in favour of Leo Ogor, his money is going to speak volume for him, he has been doing it ever since in all the elections he has participated so this one is not going to be an exception. A meeting of who is who in Delta state PDP especially in Isoko was held early hours of Sunday and some good heavy money have been raised too to see the officials of INEC and the declaration of the election results will shock everybody in Isoko.

An APC agents who declined to be named said: “We are already aware of all moves to compromise the commission but the option now for us is to declare the elections inconclusive and fix a date to conduct a re-run in some of the wards that were cancelled. But I am not in position to speak to the press on that.”

Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC) in Delta State, Dr. Cyril Omorogbe, couldn’t be immediately reached but INEC head of department, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Bukola Ojeme said that the electoral guidelines would be followed in any area that has cases that could warrant inconclusive outcome.