INEC, police deny Kwara governorship ballots being recounted

Posted by admin Headlines, Kwara, State News Monday, June 27th, 2011

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kwara State and the state police command have debunked rumour that the votes of the last April governorship election in the state were been recounted and that a certain political party was leading.

A statement jointly signed by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs of INEC, Jacob Ayanda and the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dabo Ezekiel, and made available to the Nigerain Tribune, on Monday, said the result which did not indicate its source claimed that an opposition party won the election while the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged second as against the result declared by the INEC in April which returned the PDP candidate elected.

But the INEC and the police said that what was only being done was an inspection of the electoral documents of the governorship election as was ordered by the tribunal and denied the rumour that a recount of the ballot papers was made. They urged the public to ignore the rumour.

“May we seize this opportunity to inform the general public that the ongoing activity at the INEC office is an inspection of documents as ordered by the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Kwara State.

“The Action Congress of Nigeria and their counsel were permitted by leave and order of the tribunal to inspect and make copies of all polling documents or packet relating or pertaining to the 26th April 2011 Kwara Strate Governorship Elections. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also got similar leave to be present and make copies during the inspection.”

“The parties have since commenced the inspection at the state INEC office without any rancour or ill feelings. May we state categorically and by so doing disabuse the mind of the general public that there is no recount of any ballot paper by the commission nor release of any other result than what has been officially declared by the commission after the 26th April 2011 General Elections.

“May we, therefore, enjoin all and sundry to ignore such a wide rumour that is capable of disrupting the peace in the state and allow the Tribunal do a thorough job without any distraction.”

-Tribunewp_posts