TheCable

Thugs have disrupted the announcement of election results for the Plateau north senatorial district.

The thugs invaded the collation centre on Monday and chased away officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and ad-hoc staff.

The attack led to the stoppage of the declaration of results for the national assembly seats in the district.

The thugs invaded the venue when Nehemiah Sanda,  the returning officer for the Jos north and Bassa constituency election, asked party agents to sign the collated results.

NAN quoted Sanda as saying that thugs hindered the announcement of results for the constituency election and that of the senatorial district.

“Yes, it is true that thugs invaded our collation centre while we were doing our job. It is now up to the INEC to know what to do next,” he said.

Oliver Agundu, the Plateau state resident electoral commissioner (REC), said he would act accordingly after receiving the report of the officers involved.

”I wasn’t at the scene of the incident and I have been busy with the collation of results for the presidential elections in the state,” Agundu said.

”But I will meet with the officers, get a proper briefing and then act accordingly.

”But I want to assure the people of Plateau that as an electoral umpire, we will not do anything that will sabotage the peaceful nature of the state.”

Dachung Bagos, the lawmaker representing Jos south/Jos east federal constituency, has called on INEC to declare the results within 24 hours to avert any situation that would lead to a crisis in Jos and its environs.

”Elections in Jos north/Bassa constituency were held peacefully and results were equally collated in a peaceful manner,” Bagos said.

”I think declaring the winner of the election should not generate any tension because all electoral processes were duly followed.

”So, I urge INEC to announce the results for the constituency and that of the northern senatorial district within the next 24 hours.”