02/26/19

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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.
Governor Rochas Okorocha

The Returning Officer for the Imo West senatorial election on Saturday, Prof Innocent Ibeawuchi,  has said that the supporters of Governor Rochas Okorocha, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, compelled him to declare the governor winner of Saturday’s elections.

The result showed that Okorocha scored  97,762 votes defeat the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party  Mr Jones Onyereri (68,117), and the All Progressive Grand Alliance’s Osita Izunaso (30,084).

Speaking to reporters after the results were announced on Monday in Owerri,  Ibeawuchi said that he was held hostage from 7pm on Sunday till 11am on Monday. He added that policemen and soldiers came to his rescue after the announcement was made.

According to him, he had to make the announcement to save his life. He added that the election was supposed to be inconclusive, because of the electoral fraud  in eight  LGAs.

He said, “I was compelled to announce the result which was inconclusive. I am a man  of integrity and it is not true that the governor slapped me but  I was held hostage by agents working for him. I was manhandled and I thank God I came back alive.”

However, Okorocha dismissed the allegations, insisting he deserved to win the election.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor described the  returning officer as “a bloody liar who may be acting a script”.

He said, “Having won  in nine out of the 12 local government areas announced, we heard that they were   trying to move the result sheets to Owerri but when we demanded an explanation, the man (Ibeawuchi) said he was  tired and didn’t feel safe, when nobody was threatening him. At the end, we discovered that  he didn’t have the declaration sheet. I wonder where this is taking us. I hope INEC would change this system because we will resist them if they try it in the next election.”

“They should examine the returning officer to know his mental state. If he doesn’t  have a  mental illness, then he must be a criminal to ever think of that. How could someone ask you to change the result of an election he has already won? My score is above 90,000 and the nearest to me is slightly above half of it, when you combine both Jones and Izunaso’s votes. They can’t match or contest against me in Imo State not to talk of Orlu zone,” Okorocha added.

“I asked the  Resident Electoral Commissioner here to quickly correct these anomalies. The returning officer is a bloody liar who may be acting a script.”

This post was last modified on 26/02/2019 3:00 am.
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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

Mr Salihu Adamu Musa, INEC Electoral Officer in Bokkos Local Government of Plateau, on Monday apologised over the “shameful” behaviour of the Returning Officer deployed to the area.
“The Returning Officer’s attitude was appalling; he was drunk and couldn’t do anything at all,’’ he said.
Musa was responding to a question raised by APC Collation Officer in Pankshin, Mr Emmanuel Bok, who sought to know why he (Musa), was declaring the results of elections for Bokkos, instead of the Returning Officer, as stipulated by law.
Musa, in his explanation, told the party agents, observers and INEC officials that the Returning Officer, a university lecturer, was drunk on Sunday and was sacked when he could not perform his duty.
“I took over the job based on instructions from the INEC headquarters in Jos,” Musa explained.
Musa apologised to the election officials on behalf of the electoral body, and promised that the situation would not repeat itself.
Bok, who thanked Musa for the explanation, said that he had intended to reject the result because they were not presented by the officer designated to do so.
“If not for the explanation you gave to us, I would not have accepted the results until we see the Returning Officer.
“But, if that was what happened, then it is very unfortunate and bad for us in our journey toward deepening out democracy,” he said.
In his reaction, Mr Mason Mahli, PDP Collation Officer in the local government, appealed to INEC to always ensure that only reputable people were recruited to assist it in such crucial assignments.
“INEC must always look for credible persons for serious national assignments like this. Electoral duties are sacred assignments that must be handled seriously and with utter commitment,” he stated.
Mr Jonathan Mawuyau, another APC Collation Officer and former justice commissioner in Plateau, who also reacted to the removal of the Returning Officer, regretted the “very bitter experience” elections officials had with the sacked official.
“The officer came to the collation centre drunk. On Sunday, we waited for his arrival up to 2.00 p.m., but when he later arrived and took his seat, he started dozing off before the very eyes of everybody in the hall.
“Shortly after, he woke up and excused us to go ease himself, but the next thing we heard was that he had driven away. He was later accosted and brought back.
“In fact, I had to apologise on his behalf. The official was so drunk that he could not do the Job,” Mawuyau explained.
Mrs. Joan Arabs, INEC official from the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, in her response, assured the party agents, journalists and observers, who had gathered at the senatorial collation centre in Pankshin, that the mistake would not be repeated.
“We have noted this mistake and want to assure you that we will correct it,” she said. 
NAN
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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.
Sen. Solomon Adeola (Yayi)

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Sen. Solomon Adeola (Yayi) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) winner of the Lagos West Senatorial district.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the INEC Returning Officer, Prof Olumide Adenuga of the University of Lagos, said that Adeola polled a total of 323,817 votes to emerge winner.
He defeated his closest rival Gbadebo Rhodes of the Peoples Democratic Party, who had 243,516 votes.
“I Prof Olumide Adenuga hereby certify as the returning officer, Lagos West Senatorial District with the election held on Feb. 23, 2019, that the election was conducted among 10 candidates.
“I declare that Solomon Olamilekan Adeola of the APC has satisfied the requirements of law and scoring the highest number of votes, hereby declared the winner and returned elected having polled 323,817 votes,” he said.
Speaking on his victory, Adeola said that the victory would spur him to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people.
“We will do more for the people in terms of infrastructure and other things that will ease the problems of the people such as welfare programmes,” he said.
NAN reports that Mr Adeola is returning to the Red Chambers for the second time. 
NAN
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