From Fred Itua, Abuja
After weeks of contention, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has finally declared the Accord Party candidate for the Ideato South State Assembly election, Ichie Vitalis Azodo as the winner of the election.
Azodo had won the first election held March 18, in spite of the abduction of all the electoral officers posted to the seven polling units in his Ugbelle ward.
The supplementary election which held on April 15 and scheduled just for the seven polling units in Ugbelle was allegedly militarised.
“Fortunately for Azodo, the scare tactics deployed by the state further suppressed voter participation in the election making it impossible for the APC forces to achieve any accreditation figure above the margin of lead recorded by Ichie Vitalis Azodo in the first election.
“Based on available results, corroborated by results posted on INEC IREV portal, both of which indicate that Azodo has won the election, INEC was left without any option than to declare the Accord Party candidate, Ichie Vitalis Azodo as the rightful winner of the election and return him elected,” a supporter said.