From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly (NSHA) has directed the State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) to announce results of election in three local government areas earlier declared as inconclusive by the electoral body.
This followed a motion by Mr. Francis Orogu (PDP, Keana) and seconded by Mr. Dogara Saaka (PDP, Kokona-East) yesterday at the Assembly, after the chairman of the NASIEC, Dr. Abdullahi Moddibo appeared to answer questions over the conduct of Saturday’s election.
The legislators, at the committee of the whole, demanded an explanation as to why elections in Obi and Akwanga local government areas were declared inconclusive, even though the returning officers had announced results in the affected areas.
Orogu in his submission said the commission chairman breached the electoral law by interfering with the process of collating and announcing results saying that the decision of the returning officer was final.
According to Orogu, “NASIEC conscripted criminals as professors to conduct the election”.
Similarly, Philip Gyunka (PDP, Akwanga South) said the commission should have announced the results for Obi and Akwanga local government areas as declared by the returning officers and allow aggrieved person go to the tribunal.
On his part, the NASIEC chairman Dr. Abdullahi Moddibo explained that he had to invoke the doctrine of necessity in handling the case, citing insecurity as a reason for declaring the election inconclusive.
He said the returning officers from Obi and Akwanga local government came with two different results alleging that their lives were threatened.
As for Nasarawa local government area, Moddibo said the returning officer alleged threat to his life and absconded without declaring any result at the local government area.
Moddibo, who admitted that the commission erred by taking a decision to declare the election in Obi and Akwanga inconclusive, however, maintained that the state electoral laws does not stipulate what to do in a situation where the lives of electoral officials were in danger.
Orogu, while moving a motion on the matter, said since the NASIEC chairman admitted that the electoral body erred by interfering with the procedure, he should go back and do the right thing by announcing the results declared at the local government by the returning officer within 24 hours.
Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Elisha Agwadu, who presided over the plenary session therefore, directed NASIEC to within 24 hours, ‘clear the air’ on the matter by announcing the results declared in the field and the winners inaugurated immediately.
