THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has slated tomorrow for the rerun election of Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency in Nasarawa State.
The commission had, on Sunday, declared the election inconclusive, citing over voting as a reason.
Speaking to newsmen on Monday, at the commission’s office in Lafia, the supervising commissioner for the election and Resident Electoral Commissioner for Taraba State, Habu Zarma, said the elections were put on hold due to irregularities.
“There was over voting in most polling units, that was why we cancelled the election. Section 53 of the electoral act says that whenever there is over voting, the election in the affected areas should be cancelled,” he said.
He explained that, in some polling units, officials of the commission were not allowed to use card reader machines, thereby leading to over voting.
He added that “51 polling units were cancelled, 11 was cancelled in Toto Local Government while 40 was cancelled in Nasarawa Local Government.”
He assured the public that the commission had made proper arrangements to ensure a hitch-free election during the rerun.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State, has vowed not to participate in the Nasarawa/Toto re-run election slated for tomorrow by the INEC.
Chairman of the state PDP, Honourable Francis Orogu, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lafia, on Monday, described the May 28 bye-election as a ‘democratic robbery’ to the people of the state.
He explained that most prospective voters were denied the opportunity to participate in the election.
Orogu pointed out that the leadership of INEC in the state submissively gave room for the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), to submit names of all ad hoc staff, adding that there was no place where names of ad hoc staff were placed.
The chairman added that INEC cancelled elections in places that were strong holds of the PDP, saying card readers were also used to disenfranchise voters.
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