From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin
The rescheduled People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primary election for Delta-North Senatorial District took a dramatic turn on Monday when the Chairman of the electoral team from Abuja, Mr Raphael Kukuh responsible for the conduct declared the exercise inconclusive almost at the end of the polls.
The decision of Mr Kukuh triggered off a peaceful protest from the delegates, who queried the rationale behind the abrupt termination of the exercise at its tail end.
Trouble started when the election team led by Kukuh suddenly attempted to zoom-off the Asaba cenotaph, venue of the event, in their two vehicles, but were blocked by security men at the gate, following continued peaceful protest by the delegates who insisted that Oshimili-South and Ukwani local government area Delegates that were yet to vote be allowed to do so and counting commenced.
Thereafter, the election team speaking through Kukuh declared the exercise in conclusive citing a directive from Abuja mandating him to do.
Mr Kukuh , who spoke without alighting form his Lexus jeep maintained that he was acting on instruction and subsequently left as the policemen opened the gates, this attracted further condemnation as the gates of aspirant later mandated one Itiekor Ikpokpo Chairman, Isoko-South local government area to count the abandoned votes in full glare of security men, following which, Chief peter Nwoboshi scored 138 votes, Paul Osaji87, Hon. Doris Uboh 37, Hon Pascal Adigwe 27 and
Dr Mariam Alli 4 votes.
The counted ballot papers and box were later taken to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Asaba for safe keeping.
Reacting to the development, both Chief Nwaboshi and Chief Edwin Uzor, Delta state PDP chairman condemned in very strong terms, the decision of the electoral team.
It will be recalled that the senatorial election scheduled for December 7 was shifted to Tuesday, December 9, 2014.
