Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa and John Adams, Minna
Collation of results is yet to commence in the Bayelsa State because of the difficult terrain of most of the polling units, according to the Head of Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Wilfred Ifogha.
Ifogha said INEC rescheduled elections for 39 units in Ogbia and Sagabma local government areas and that voting in the supplementary election, which commenced at 12 pm ended by 6:00pm, yesterday.
“Yes, some results have started coming but, you know the terrain and even as I talk, election is on-going in some wards and units in different local government areas.
“The election was rescheduled due to Smart Card Reader (SCR) malfunctioning and mix-up is some units. A total of 39 polling units were affected in Sagbama and Ogbia.”
Meanwhile soldiers have taken over INEC headquarters across the eight local government areas; as results from wards arrived for collation.
Beef-up of security was to prevent hoodlums and unauthorised persons gaining access to the INEC offices to disrupt the collation process.
Elsewhere, two incumbent House of Representatives members in Niger state, Abubakar Lado, representing Suleja/Gurara/Tafa federal constituency and Mohammed Umar Bago, representing Chancgaga Federal Constituency have won their re-election to the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
Both are flying the flag of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in their federal constituencies.
Abubakar Lado beat his closest rival, Murktar Dan’iya of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), with 54,224 to 38,732; to clinched the seat for the second time.
In Chanchaga, two term member, Bago was re-elected for the third term, after he defeated his closest rival, Mallam Abubakar Audu Buba, of the PDP with 39,391 to PDP 17,869 votes.