The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that it has not yet received any official results from the governorship election held in Edo State across its 18 local government areas. The announcement was made by the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha, during an interview with Channels Television on Saturday. Onuoha explained that the collation process is still ongoing at the ward level and that the results are yet to reach the local government level, where they will be further compiled before being transmitted to the state collation centre.
Addressing the spread of unverified election results on social media, Onuoha cautioned the public against relying on such information. He emphasized that it is not the role of social media users to announce or declare election results, and urged people to wait for the official figures to be released by INEC. Onuoha reminded the public that only designated officials have the legal authority to announce results, and that information shared online without proper verification should be disregarded.
Furthermore, Onuoha clarified that he himself is not the returning officer for the election and reiterated that only the appointed returning officer has the mandate to declare the final, official results. He called on those involved in spreading unverified or misleading information to cease immediately, stressing that the electoral law is clear about who holds the responsibility to announce results to the public.
Onuoha’s statements are aimed at ensuring that the public remains patient while the election results are meticulously compiled and verified through the proper channels. The INEC commissioner underscored the importance of maintaining trust in the electoral process and cautioned against the dangers of misinformation, which can lead to confusion and unrest. He assured voters that the official results would be made available as soon as the collation process is completed and verified by the appropriate authorities.
