BEVERLY HILLS, January 07, (THEWILL) – The 2018 Delta State local government election turned into an orgy of violence, deaths and protests as members of the opposition in Delta rejected the polls which held on Saturday.
THEWILL gathered that armed thugs invaded the State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) office in Ughelli and set it ablaze on fire.
At least two persons were also shot dead in Ughelli for allegedly resisting an attempt by hoodlums to hijack elections materials.
Trouble started in Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North council area of the state at about 8:30am when DSIEC officials were about dispatching election materials to the various units.
Some armed men unexpectedly invaded the office shooting sporadically while party representatives and observers, who had gathered there took to their heels, paving way for the armed men who proceeded to set the office on fire.
In Udu council area, it was reported that a group of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, pretending to be vigilance men, allegedly made away with the election materials meant for distribution which led to an uproar.
Reports from different parts of the state indicated manipulation at different stages of the election process and protests by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) which described the election as a sham.
Governorship candidate of the party in the 2015 election, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, said reports from all parts of the state showed that it was neither free nor fair.
Emerhor, who spoke in his Evwreni country home, called for a fresh exercise devoid of questionable practices saying the party would make a formal pronouncement on the exercise.
“There was no election in Ughelli North. The same thing that happened in Ughelli North happened all over,” he stated.
“We are calling for the outright cancellation of the election. There were no sensitive materials.
“I can confidently tell you that the strategy of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was not to conduct elections in the state. It was clear that the PDP are afraid that they are not going to win the election.
“I am sure that you witnessed what happened here in Ughelli North where the DSIEC office was burnt down. The same story you hear here is the same story everywhere.
“No government should deceive the people and pretend to be conducting an election. If you go round Ughelli North, there is no election going in any of the communities.
“There was no election in Delta State. The PDP government in Delta State is acting with impunity because they are the ones that elected the DSIEC board.
“They can go ahead to announce any result. But all we know is that we will not accept any result they will announce.
“There was no election so therefore we will not accept anybody that they will swear in as the winner.”
