THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has gone for a second recess after adding two Local Government Areas to the 13 results earlier announced.
With the total of 15 LGAs announced so far, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is maintaining a strong lead in all, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) coming second.
The collation officer, Prof Olayemi Akinwunmi, who announced the recess, said it is to allow for the arrival of results from the remaining local governments which he said are very far from Akure, the capital city.
“I think we can just adjourn till 12 noon please, two remaining local governments are not here yes, so we adjourn till 12 noon. The local governments, Ilaje and Ese Odo are very far, so we need to give the time to arrive here, but we resume 12 noon,” Prof Akinwunmi said.
The 15 Local Governments Areas declared so far are Ifedore, Ondo East, Ileoluji Oke-Igbo, Idanre, Irele, Akoko South West, Owo, Ondo West, Akoko South East, Akoko North West, Ose, Akoko North East, Akure South, Akure North and Okitipupa.
The 3 remaining local governments are Ilaje, Odigbo, and Ese Odo.
Out of the 15 local governments announced so far, it was only in one that a contending issue came up. The LG is Idanre where the agent of the PDP alleged issues of vote buying, ballot box snatching and no election in some areas. He asked the returning officer to reject results from Idanre.
INEC National Commissioner, Prof Kunle Ajayi, who spoke to Channels Television in Akure, the Ondo State capital before the collation commenced, had assured Ondo people that the result will be declared not later than 6am.
“I can assure you that until we declare the winner, we won’t leave here. We will wait until the last local government before we leave.
“I don’t have any fear that even by 6am, maybe everything would have been over,” the National Commissioner added.
