Gov. Okowa receives certificate of return as INEC withholds four others

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Wednesday presented the certificate of return to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and withheld certificates of return of four assembly constituencies due to pending court cases.

It was gathered that out of the 29 constituencies in the assembly, four constituencies were not issued the certificate of return due to pending cases in court.

The four constituencies denied the certificate of return were: Ethiope East (APC); Ughelli North I (APC); Ughelli North II (APC); and Ukwuani Constituency (PDP).

At the presentation ceremony in Asaba, the National Commissioner of INEC in charge of South-South, Dr Mohammed Lecky, urged politicians to place the nation above self even in time of victory.

“This is the only way the dividends of democracy for which many have paid the supreme price can truly be within the reach of voters, the majority of who went through enormous troubles to exercise their franchise,’’ he said.

Lecky, while congratulating the governor-elect and the state assembly members, said, “Section 75(10) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended provides for the issuance of the certificate of return to elected candidates by the chairman of INEC’’.

In his address, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Cyril Omorogbe, commended security agencies who worked tirelessly to tackle the threat to peace and security in the course of the election.

Omorogbe, however, regretted the loss of lives and destruction of property that accompanied the exercise in some voting centres in the state.

According to him, we share in the grief of families and friends of the deceased and those who lost the property.