LAGOS JANUARY 8TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State has won 22 out of the 25 local government councils where elections took place in the state on Saturday.
This declaration has however been rejected by the main opposition pary in the state, All Prpgressive Congress, APC which claimed the the election was conducted in non-compliance with the provisions set out in the DSIEC Law 2017 and call for its outright cancellation.
The Chairman of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, Mr. Mike Ogbodu, who supervised the declaration of results in Asaba, the state capital on Sunday evening, said there would be rerun election in two local governments where the exercise could not hold.
Ogbodu said elections could not hold in the two councils of Ughelli North where DSIEC office was set on fire by arms-wielding political thugs and Ethiope East as a result of widespread violence.
He said the election in the two councils would hold on Tuesday.
The DSIEC chairman however noted that the result for Ika South could not be declared due to the absence of the returning officer, whom he said was indisposed.
Ogbodu said PDP clinched 424 councillorship seats, while APC won in only ward 02 of Aniocha North Local Government Area.
“In accordance with Section 46(1) of DSIEC Law, 2017, 59 councilors of the PDP were returned unopposed,” he said.
He explained that the postponement for Ughelli North and Ethiope East was backed by Section 33 (1&2) of the DSIEC Law 2017.
Ogbodu added, “Result of the councillorship elections for Otor-Owhe Ward 01 of Isoko North Local Government Area is yet to be declared owing to an order of the High Court of Justice, Delta State, sitting at Ibusa.”
Breakdown of the results as announced by the Returning Officers include,
Aniocha North, PDP- 25,272; APC -2798
Aniocha