Local Government Polls- PDP Happy, APC Angry
The Delta State local Government election which was held today started with early Distribution of electoral materials by the Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) office to wards
across Delta State
By Success Okuchemiya
In a chat with newsmen in Warri the Chief Electoral Officer, Mrs Mary Fregene, deployed to Warri South local Government area said; ” there was no hitches as distribution of electoral materials to various electoral officers was done peacefully”.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after casting his vote at State Ward Six, Osubi, Rt Hon Oborevwori,Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly said that he was impressed with the turnout of voters, describing the exercise as very peaceful.
Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori equally described the turnout of voters as impressive.
According to him: “We have a sellable and acceptable chairmanship candidate and we are sure of victory at the end of the day so I want to appeal to our electorate to remain peaceful.
On his part, the Okpe PDP chairmanship candidate, Hon Isaiah Esiovwa told journalists after voting at State Ward Six that he was encouraged by the turnout of voters and noted that he was sure of victory at the end of the exercise.
Accordingly, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Aladja Community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State was in early lead as the local government council election came to an end in the Community .The Presiding Officer, Ese Obakeh disclosed that there was total of seven hundred eligible voters on the list, and noted that the PDP polled 582 votes while the All Progressives Congress, APC garnered 53 votes. She added that the Action Democratic Congress,ADC and the Action Democratic Party,ADC and ADP polled 36 and 1 votes respectively with 28 void votes. Furthermore,Obakeh stated that the election went on peacefully stressing that the election started as early as 8am and ended 12:12pm.
Our Correspondent who monitored the exercise reports that the immediate past Council Chairman of Udu Local Government Council, Hon. (Chief) Jite Brown was amongst those who cast their votes early in the morning.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Udu Council Chairman, Mr. Henry Ubus while talking to this Reporter expressed confidence that his principal will be reelected given the massive turnout of eligible voters during the elections. Also,
the President of Aladja Community Council and Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development, Elder Otto Ogbiruveta in a chat with newsmen described the election as peaceful in Ward 19.
In Ethiope-East Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Godwin Ogbetuo an
Octogenarian said there was no election in Ward 10, Samagidi-Kokori Community. Chief Ogbetuo said officials of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC arrived the polling unit at about 9am without result sheets.
He said when he asked the DSIEC officials why they didn’t come with result sheets, suddenly gunmen stormed the polling unit, shot sporadically and disrupted the elections. Thus, eligible voters had to run for the safety of their lives.Chief Ogbetuo stated.
Similarly, in Urhoka Abraka, unit 9 ward 1, in Ethiope East local Government area of Delta State Mr Akpokiniovo Edwin an APC Agent told newsmen that DSIEC brought no original result sheets. According to him “We were here before materials were brought in but at the end of the day we discovered the original result sheets which was supposed to be paramount was not included”. Furthermore he stated”We can not go ahead with the election because at the end of the day results ought to be collated, entered into result sheets and result declared as it is now,no original result sheets no Election”.
At the time of this report, the leader of the people Democratic party PDP in the area was yet to comment on matter.
But in a statement signed by the state APC publicity secretary (caretaker) Sylvester Imonina Esq, he stated that Delta APC pulled out of the elections
Besides he noted, “Yesterday, 5th of March, 2021 at DSIEC headquarters in Asaba, Delta APC Representatives were not allowed to take statistics of the materials that DSIEC intended transporting to the different LGAs in the State. This is despite the insistence of the Party’s Representatives that it is the right of political parties to inspect and confirm what material is meant for “what and where”.
Also, Imonina alleged that as at 11am today, materials that were purportedly transported to DSIEC offices at the LGAs and some Police Stations were yet to be distributed. He said that in Burutu and Patani Local Government Areas, election materials were not taken to anywhere near the Local Government Areas. He alleged that In LGAs where materials were purportedly taken, there were no results’ sheets.
Imonina further noted that “In few places in Asaba and the home town of the Governor where “elections materials” were taken to, there were no election results’ sheets too. Besides he said some APC members and Leaders who peacefully protested the anti-democratic vices going on in the different DSIEC offices and Police Stations were being intimidated, harassed and humiliated. For instance he said some APC Stalwarts were arrested and were still being kept in police Cell by a Divisional Police Officer and men under his control in Ozoro Police Station , Isoko North Local Government Area, on the instigation of PDP leaders in Isoko North,
Meanwhile, Mrs Mary Fregene, the Chief Electoral Officer, Warri South local Government area and other Electoral Officers that spoke to our Reporter insisted that there was no hitches with the distribution of electoral materials to various electoral officers across all the Local Government Areas in the state.
As at the time of going to press there was presence of security operatives comprising of the police,immigration and civil defence across the state.