Supplementary Polls: INEC’s delay of final collation of results causes tension in Bauchi

Tension has continued to mount in Bauchi town as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) delays final collation of results of the supplementary election brought in from 15 Local government areas of the state.

Most of the results from the LGAs have been announced by various presiding officers at all the 36 polling units slated for the supplementary election.

All the results from the 16 local government areas had arrived the collation centre, according to our reporter who is on the ground at the Bauchi State Governorship Collation and Declaration Centre within the INEC office in Bauchi.

But the collation hall had remained empty as most of the INEC officials including the State Returning Officer Muhammed Kyari, a professor, were nowhere to be found.

The unexplained delay had, however, not discouraged the hundreds of residents, who had gathered around the routes leading to the INEC office, from continuing their vigil that has dragged into the early hours of Sunday.

Sources who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES alleged that the delay in collation was being caused by the absence of the Returning Officer.

Earlier, at about 9 p.m., the police officers manning the barricade on the roads that lead to the INEC office were forced to release teargas canisters on the agitated crowd who were getting uncomfortable by the delay.