Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa alleged that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agents were denied access to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Edo ahead of collation on Saturday.
However, All Progressives Congress (APC) agents were allowed unrestricted access to participate in the collation process.
Fintiri, chairman of the Edo PDP campaign council, spoke at a Benin press conference on Sunday. He claimed collation was violently interrupted in some local government areas (LGAs).
Specifically, Edo South’s local government collation processes were stopped in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, and Egor and moved illegally to INEC’s State Headquarters in Benin, under an Assistant Inspector General’s (AIG) instructions.
The Adamawa governor reported that at 9 pm, APC officials accompanied by police stormed the Etsako West LGA collation centre, shooting indiscriminately.
This resulted in the council vice chairman’s critical injury and prevented results from Wards 7 and 11. A 2km police barricade restricted access around INEC’s state office.
Fintiri shared local government results, emphasizing his announcement didn’t override INEC’s authority.
He clarified the figures came from party agents. “I didn’t announce results; I informed the public of our collation agents’ figures before INEC disrupted the process… INEC should be accused of violating the Electoral Act, not me.”
Governor Obaseki’s protest at INEC’s state office prompted some progress. Fintiri demanded the collation process resume according to the Electoral Act and INEC rules. “Any further illegal actions will violate the people’s will and abuse the Electoral Act.”
