The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Imo State, has reversed its earlier decision over the election in Orlu/Orsu/Oru East Federal Constituency in Imo State.
The Returning Officer had last week declared the election inconclusive but on Monday, it declared Jerry Alagboso of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Ezeonu explained that INEC made the reversal because the Returning Officer declared the election inconclusive without proper application of the electoral guidelines.
According to him, the electoral guidelines had stipulated that areas where card readers were not deployed, either as a result of violence or compromise, such areas should have zero returns.
He said that some of the areas declared inconclusive actually had results, while others didn’t.
This, he said, necessitated INEC to have a rethink and apply the electoral law, as stipulated.
According to the result, Alagboso polled 21,273 votes, Edwin Iheanacho of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 20,061 while the Action Alliance candidate, Dr. Ikenna Ihezuo, polled 2,171 votes.
The candidates of the losing parties have started to express their disapproval at the decision and are currently accusing INEC of bias.
