The collation of the Abia State governorship election will resume by 4:00 pm today (Wednesday) at the Collation Centre located inside the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission, in Umuahia, the state capital.
On Monday, the electoral body announced the suspension of the results, saying it took the decision after a meeting to review the elections.
According to INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, the Commission suspended the collation of results in Obingwa LGA of Abia State where he noted that its office was invaded by thugs on Sunday. Similarly, results from Nkanu East and Nsukka LGAs in Enugu State have also been suspended for further review.
But the Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Rebecca Jim, told Channels Television on Tuesday that the collation would resume on Wednesday.
She said that the Presiding Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, Professor Nnenna Oti; and the State Administrative Secretary, Clement Oha, who were invited to the INEC headquarters Abuja, over the controversy from the Obingwa results, were on their way back to the state, to complete the process.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate for Abia Alex Otti has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of plotting to rig the governorship election.
Otti made the allegation in a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, hours after the collation of governorship election results in the state was suspended. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to announce the results for the Obingwa Local Government Area of the state, a development that has continued to generate reactions.
The LP flagbearer, who is the latest to comment on the matter, claimed that the PDP and Abia governor Ikpeazu plans to rig the exercise through the Obingwa LGA.