The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has given substantive reasons the result of the supplementary election held in Etche, Rivers State was announced in Port Harcourt, the State capital.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Aniedi Ikoiwak on Monday, disclosed that the result was not declared in Etche but in Port Harcourt.
Accordin g to him, certain circumstances made the Returning Officer of the Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency to declare the result by simple majority in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
He further explained that after collating the result in Etche by 2 a.m., the Returning Officer needed to consult a relevant section of the law to be able to declare the result.
Ikoiwak said that at 2 a.m., the law department of the commission could not go to Etche with the law due to security reasons and the officer was advised to come down to the State capital.
He said, “If that form is stolen, they have to go back for printing of that form before such form can be used.
”INEC does not produce more than one result form for one particular election.
