Notably, there were reports of violence in Anyigba and Dekina in Kogi East and Mopa in Kogi West as well as parts of Kogi Central.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will cancel election results of areas where violence occurred during the presidential and National Assembly elections in Kogi State.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kogi, Hale Longpet, stated this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Lokoja in the wake of attacks by suspected thugs at polling units.
Notably, there were reports of violence in Anyigba and Dekina in Kogi East and Mopa in Kogi West as well as parts of Kogi Central.
Reacting to the issues, the REC said, “You know the electoral Law says that where there are disruptions to the process, the result will be cancelled, the very particular units’ results will be cancelled. The issues initially were only in the Kogi East and Central but I can’t tell exactly where and where in the state have been affected until the results are brought by the electoral officers.
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“We understood that because of the violence, those affected areas couldn’t conclude election there. I’m shocked that people can go to that level and disrupt something that everybody should have enjoyed.”
Speaking further, the commissioner who decried the loss of lives also praised the peaceful conduct of the elections in some areas.
“Election is a peaceful and willful thing that people are offered to freely participate. Again, If people are given assurance that everyone will enjoy a pleasant experience, why then should we have thugs invading the whole town or the local government, disrupting the conduct of the elections?” he asked.
Mr Longpet added, “This is very sad and shocking when you look at the loss of lives involved.”
He explained that “election is not war so if you were standing in for election to provide services for your people, you don’t need to engage in these destructive activities.”