*No result sheets, election did not hold in Warri South – Voters complain
*Elections is a mockery of democracy says APC Pub Secretary, Onojeghuo
*Says case against DSIEC critical to survival of democracy in Delta State
By Victor Lewis
The Delta State Local Government Election scheduled for today, July 13, 2024 held in all the 25 Council Areas across the 25 State. However, contrary to the assurance given by the State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, to conduct a free, fair and credible poll, the exercise was marred with lack of voting materials, vote rigging, massive illegal Thumb-printing of ballot papers, among others.
Our correspondents who went round different Local Government Areas in the three Senatorial Districts of Delta North, Delta Central and Delta South to monitor the election, report the apart from voters apathy which resulted in low voters turnout, election materials were virtually absent in most of the polling units and in some places where they were available, they arrived very late and we’re not assessable for voters to freely cast their votes.
It was also reported that massive illegal Thumb-printing allegedly by agents and supporters of the ruling party were common place across the state, while in some places where the presence of opposition were visible, there were incidents of ballot box snatching and stuffing by agents of the one of the parties.
Main while, the leadership of the APC in the State has reacted to the conduct of the DSIEC-organized Local Government Election across the state today.
Speaking with newsmen in Asaba on the outcome of the election today, the State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress APC in Delta State, Valentine Onojeghuo Esq, described the elections as a mockery of democracy and farcical charade.
According to the APC scribe, the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission DSIEC, has constituted itself into an appendage of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP that controls the Delta State government.
“We are not surprised of the events taking place across the State today as we have since lost confidence in DSIEC to conduct a free and fair elections from the very beginning.
“When DSIEC issued its time table for the elections, we raised the alarm as to the numerous breaches brazenly committed by the Commission which has already skewed the elections in favour of the PDP and today’s elections are a manifestation of those fears.
“As you know we have taken DSIEC to court to challenge this comical crowning of PDP candidates and we are very confident that the court will save our democratic processes in Delta State”, he added.
Speaking further, Onojeghuo stated that given the recent judgement of the Supreme Court on local government autonomy, the case of the Party against DSIEC becomes all the more important to strengthen democracy at the third tier of government as he called on the federal government to take more radical steps such as allowing the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to conduct all further elections into local government councils across the nation.
It would be recalled that the Delta State All Progressives Congress, APC, had earlier dragged the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission DSIEC before the Delta State High Court sitting at Otor-Udu, the headquarters of Udu Local Government Area through an originating summons with Suit No. OUHC/127/2024.
The party had urged the Court to declare null and void any and every step so far taken by the State Electoral Commission in accordance with the Guidelines which the body published on the 3rd of May, 2024 for the conduct of the July 13, 2024 Local Government Election.
However, the Party through their lawyers J.A. Otorudo Esq, who appeared with Augustine Magba Esq, also filed an ex-parte application seeking an order of the court to postpone the conduct of the elections pending the determination of the case.
When the substantive case filed by the All Progressives Congress APC Delta State against the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC came up for hearing yesterday Friday July 12, 2024 at the Udu High Court, before the Honourable Justice R.D. Harriman, Lawyers representing the APC in the State on the 11 July 2024 also filed an application for an interim order directing DSIEC to postpone the election pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice filed alongside the application. The court however ordered the Plaintiff/Applicant, APC in suit no. OUHC/127/2024 to put the Defendant/respondent on notice.
Ruling on the application yesterday, July 12, the court said “that in view of the fact that this Honourable Court has the power to set aside the election if found wrongful at the end of the determination of this suit, I direct that the defendant be put on notice for this suit to be determined after all parties have filed their processes”.
Valentine Onojeghuo Esq, the State Publicity Secretary of the Party, represented the APC in the substantive suit, while the defendant which was the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, which was absent was represented by V. Eze, Esq.
The case has been adjourned to 31 July 2024 for hearing of the substantive suit.
Across the State, several polling units visited by our correspondent who monitored Afiesere, Ofuoma and Odovie communities in Ughelli North Local Government Area, reported that the agents of one of the political parties, took advantage of the low voters turn out amid rainfall to engage in illegal Thumb-printing, stuffing of ballot papers in ballot boxes and filling of result sheets under the full glare of the DSIEC officials present.
According to the reports, the ruling party candidates in all the polling units visited were declared winners by DSIEC polling officers, adding that as at 11am, voting, collation, counting and result declaration were already concluded in most of the wards and their results declared.
Also in Warri South Local Government and Uvwie Local Government Areas, the report of illegal Thumb-printing of ballot papers and stuffing of ballot boxes were said to be the order of the day.
APC party agents in most polling units in Warri South Local Government Area were complaining that election did not hold, adding that result sheets were not seen.
A group who spoke to our monitoring crew said that they were ready to protest if DSIEC declare result in Warri South, adding that “what took place was the usual PDP hijacking election materials and writing results”.
In Isoko South and Isoko North, our reporters who went out report that there was low turnout of voters, a situation which gave agents of one of the parties the opportunity to illegally thumb-print all ballot papers, collate, count, awarded scores to themselves and declared their candidates winners.
Our correspondents who were on ground to monitor the election in Asaba, the State capital, reports that the restriction of movement did not hold in the city as all markets were open and traders were selling their wares to residents who thronged the markets to make their purchases.
It was reported that the few voters who went to the polling units cast their votes but majorly, the ballot papers were thumb-printed by zealous party agents of one the parties who had a field day in perpetrating election malpractices including illegal Thumb-printing of ballot papers and writing results.
According to the reports, the ruling party candidates in all the polling units visited were declared winners by DSIEC polling officers, adding that as at 11am, voting, collation, counting and result declaration were already concluded in most of the wards and their results declared.
In Isoko South and Isoko North, our reporters who went out report that there was low turnout of voters, a situation which gave agents of one of the parties the opportunity to illegally thumb-print all ballot papers, collate, count, awarded scores to themselves and declared their candidates winners.
Our correspondents who were on ground to monitor the election in Asaba, the State capital, reports that the restriction of movement did not hold in the city as all markets were open and traders were selling their wares to residents who thronged the markets make purchases.
It was reported that the few voters who went to the polling units cast their votes but majorly, the ballot papers were thumb-printed by zealous party agents of one the parties who had a field day in perpetrating election malpractices.
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