Angry Youths Storm Makurdi INEC HQ Over Akume’s Reelection

Two groups of protesters stormed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Makurdi, Benue state along One Jang Road on Monday.

While one group shouted “no Akume, no election” and other slogans, another group, suspected to be supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], insisted that the incumbent senator, George Akume must not be declared as winner.

“We believe that they (INEC) can do whatever he wants but there are disputes over election figures in Akume’s Zone B ( Benue North-West senatorial zone) and he must be stopped,” one of the PDP youth who gave his name as Terseer Tyav told The Nation.

However, one of those leading the pro-Akume group, Clement Iordaar, alleged that there was a mischievous ploy to deny Akume reelection.

“Suswam and Abba Moro of PDP have won two of the senatorial seats but they are insisting on truncating Akume’s victory so that another PDP member, Orker Jev can take the seat and fulfill Ortom’s boast about retiring Akume from politics,” he said.

It took a firm and timely response from armed soldiers to stop the scores of angry youths that insisted on storming the collation centre within INEC complex where results were being collated.

The soldiers effectively blocked the two groups of protesters from entering the INEC compound.

Collation of the presidential results was still ongoing during the protest and results from fifteen local government areas had been declared.

Those of the National Assembly elections were being awaited.

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