By Ozioruva Aliu, BENIN CITY

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel some results in their stronghold in Ovia South West Constituency House of Assembly elections conducted on March 18.

The chairman of APC in the council, Hon. Emmanuel Ogbomo, who raised the alarm, called on INEC not to allow the alleged desperation of Gov. Godwin Obaseki to ruin their image.

He warned that any attempt for the already collated results to be tampered with in the name of cancellation would be resisted by the people.

Ogbomo noted that the people were already agitated over the delay in announcing the results of the election which their candidate, Hon. Sunday Aghedo had won clearly.

He said ”We are aware of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s plans, we are aware of how he’s mounting pressure on INEC to council Umaza ward results because APC won by a wide margin.”

Ogbomo alleged that the plot for the cancellation of the result was to pave the way for a former council chairman who he alleged failed his people and was rejected to win the election.

He said “The election in Ovia South West was very peaceful, especially in Umaza ward. According to the INEC IReV portal, APC scored 1,238 against PDP 496.

“So on what ground do Obaseki and INEC want to council the ward results when there was no violence?

“We hereby call on INEC to announce Godwin Aghedo of the APC the winner of the House of Assembly Election.

“We have watched patiently while INEC carried on with the plans of Obaseki, but let it be known that further attempts to test our patience will be resisted.”

It would be recalled that the people in the area shortly after the election was declared inconclusive protested to the INEC office in Benin City where they were told that their petitions would be forwarded to the national headquarters for action as they said the Benin Office of INEC cannot alter the report of the returning officer, Professor Francis Omoruyi who declared the election inconclusive.