Benue South Senatorial Rerun Election: LIVE UPDATES
Today, Saturday, February 20, the people of Benue South will return to the poll to elect their senator.
The contest is straight between a former Senate President, David
Mark, of the Peoples Democratic Party, and David Onjeh, a former
students’ leader, and candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
The election is a rerun. The Appeal Court had nullified the March 28, 2015 election of which Mr. Mark was declared winner.
Mr. Mark is 68 years old, while Mr. Onjeh is 41.
Benue South Senatorial District has nine local government areas, dominated mainly by the Idoma ethnic nationality.
The district also has significant populations of Igede, Agila, Alala, Apa and Agatu. Messrs Mark and Onjeh are native Idomas.
PREMIUM TIMES is on the ground in Benue South, and will serve you updates of the election.
Live Blog
18.34
RESULTS
More results have arrived. These results show Daniel Onjel is maintaining early lead in Obi, Oju and Ohimini LGAs.
Oju LGA, Ukpa/Ainu Ette ward, Ihigile PU
APC 198, PDP 72
Oju LGA, Oju Ward,
Ohijile PU APC 142, PDP 132
Oju LGA, Oju ward, Ivini PU
APC 153, PDP 80
Oju LGA, Owo ward, Omua Unit 1,
APC= 49, PDP= 14
Oju LGA, Okpokpo Ward, Ogum-igwe PU
APC=131, PDP=53
Oju LGA, Ukpa/AInu Ette Ward, Onyoho PU
APC 108 PDP 90
Oju LGA, Okpokpo Ward, Ogum-igwe PU
APC=131, PDP=53
Ohimini LGA, Idekpa Ward Olaigbechi PU
APC =57, PDP= 5
Ohimini LGA, Aume Iche Ward AKWUTULO PU
APC=58, PDP=41
EJULE PU,
APC 104, PDP=48
Voting exercise has ended in all the nine local governments.
Now, presiding officers are now at various ward collation centres before collation at local government levels.
Ultimately, INEC zonal office in Otukpo told PREMIUM TIMES collation
of results from all local government areas would commence “immediately”
the Returning Officers and Electoral Officers were ready at Otukpo LGA
Secretariat.
Meanwhile, results across polling units in Otukpo LGA, acclaimed as
the Idoma capital and biggest in the Benue South, show David Mark is
leading in the LGA with slim margin.
Here are some of the results from Otukpo:
Mr. Mark’s VIP polling unit, Otukpo Town Central ward:
PDP- 254, APC – 59 PU 003, MAMSER Office, Otukpo Town East ward:
APC- 86, PDP- 57
PU 010, Otukpo Town Central ward:
PDP – 82, APC – 57
PU 023, Otukpo Town Central ward:
PDP – 39, APC – 30 AGATU Ogbaulu primary school PU, Ogbaulu Ward, Agatu LGA
PDP 75, APC 31
OTUKPO Otukpo LGA Adoka-Haje, PU Aune Play Ground 1
PDP 135, APC 38
Otukpo LGA, Adoka Icho Opanehe II, Open Space
APC 52, PDP 70
OHIMINI Idekpa ward, Olaigbechi PU
APC 88, PDP 45
Results from Orokan and Ai-Oodo wards in Ogbadibo LGA Orokam ward Court Oko polling,
APC 105, PDP 53
Ekere primary school unit
PDP,=98 APC30
Ipole owukpa unit
APC – 78, PDP – 47
Ocheje Oko unit
PDP17, APC 191
Ipole Oko unit
PDP = 46,APC = 80
Ai-Oodo Ward 2 Ola-Itodo PU
APC = 111, PDP = 51 13.37
Former Senate President, David Mark, who is the candidate of Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, in the rerun senatorial election in Saturday’s
Benue South, said he believed his constituents would return him to the
Senate for a record fifth time.
Mr. Mark, who had declared winner of the March 28, 2015, election by
the Indepenent National Electoral Commissioner before it was annuled
Appeal Court, said this just after his cast vote at VIP polling unit,
Otukpo Town East ward, Otukpo local government area.
“Our people have resolved to return me back. They have decided that
no external forces can come in between us in Zone C (Benue South),” he
said. “We call on our supporters to maintain law and order while the
election lasts.”
Mr. Mark arrived the polling unit in company of his friend and former
Senator, Tunde Ogbeha, young brother, Igoche Mark and other supporters. David Mark arriving the polling unit
When PREMIUM TIMES visited his polling unit at 12.33pm, voters’ apathy was obvious.
The Presiding Officer, a male corps member who did want to n
mentioned, confirmed 1275 voters registered in the polling unit broken
into two voting points.
“But we have only about 120 people who have come to vote,” he said.
During the time of our visit, there was nobody on the queue before
INEC officials at voting point B, while voting poing had just about five
people.
10.31 am
PREMIUM TIMES can confirm accreditation and voting are
going on concurrently in all the nine local government areas. Exercise
has also commenced in Agatu where there was two hours’ delay due to
security concern.
From field reports and PREMIUM TIMES’ authoritative findings, card readers are properly functioning across the LGAs.
So far, there has not been report of violence or that of card reader failure.
The process has been smooth.
“There is no violence at all, everybody is calm,” Mr.
Confidence, a presiding officer in Otukpo said, stressing what many had
said across the LGAs.
10.31
PREMIUM TIMES can confirm accreditation and voting are going on
concurrently in all the nine local government areas. Exercise has also
commenced in Agatu where there was two hours’ delay due to security
concern.
From field reports and PREMIUM TIMES’ authoritative findings, card readers are properly functioning across the LGAs.
So far, there has not been report of violence or a that of card reader failure.
The process has been smooth.
“There is no violence at all, everybody is calm,” Mr. Confidence, a
presiding officer in Otukpo said, stressing what many had said across
the LGAs.
At these units, total of registered voters is 800. However, as at
10.28 am, only 242 voters have exercised their civic duty in units A and
B respectively. 10.19 am
PU 001A and B, Ogobia primary school 1, Ogbuju Eheje, Otukpo LGA
accreditation and voting are going on simultaneously here. It is
important to note that in this election, INEC is holding accreditation
and voting exercises at a time, a new practice different from previous
ones where voting exercise commenced after accreditation of voters. 10.04 am
INEC officials are just returning to polling units from the
commission’s office in Agatu local government area. Although materials
had arrived the LGA before 8am; yet, security concerns delayed commencement of distribution of materials to polling units, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.
We learnt that INEC had to wait for safety clearance from
Police and SSS in Agatu LGA before it deployed its staff and corps
members who work as ad hoc staff to polling units. This security concern
is connected to recurring Fulani herders-Agatu deadly hostility.
9.48 am
At Iga Uroko polling unit in Itabono ward 1, Ogbadigbo LGA.
Accreditation exercise is ongoing smoothly. However, no PDP agent is
seen here on ground. Only an APC agent is here in this unit under Daniel
Onjeh’s local government area.
9.43am
At Olempe Polling Unit, Olaochagba ward, Ogbadibo LGA, accreditation
has commenced. The process is smooth. Here is the unit of Daniel Onjeh,
the APC candidate. 9.31 am
PU 08A and N Green Garden, Otukpo Town East ward. Accreditation has just commenced here. 9.25 am
PU 09, 27, Ogiri-Oko street 11, Otukpo ward. Accreditation exercise
is just starting. The Presiding Officer, said the delay was due to to
confusion. We didn’t know the actual place before; so, we were just
roaming about. 9.18 am
PU 18, Otukpo ward, INEC officials have arrived but just
getting set to commence accreditation for voters who have been waiting
since 8 am. Assistant Presiding Officer said “We were delayed at the distribution centre.”
8.53am
Polling officers are just arriving David Mark’s Polling Unit, VIP
unit at Otukpo ward 1. They rode motorcycles and were guided by a Police
officer and two Civil Defence operatives.
Mr. Sunday, an elderly person, said he had been at VIP units 10 minutes before 8am, the time INEC announced accreditation would start. “But if true, I am surprised INEC officials are yet to come,” he said. 8.29 am
VIP polling unit, Otukpo ward 1. INEC officials are yet to arrive at
this polling unit the PDP candidate, David Mark, will vote. PDP agent is
complaining: “I am concerned; when are they bringing these materials.” 8.09 am
INEC officials are set at PU 10, Ward 10, Otukpo LGA. Also voters are
thronging the unit. As the picture shows, voters are now checking their
names in INEC “valid registrations” papers. 7.36 am
INEC zonal head in Otukpo has completed distribution of materials to
Electoral Officers. The distribution of materials started yesterday
afternoon and just ended this morning.
According to reports from the LGAs, INEC officials are now moving to
polling units with materials for the conduct of the election. This may
fulfil the REC’s vow that the election will start 8am.
9.43 am
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