UPDATE: Okorocha, PDP Candidate Storm Imo West Collation Centre As Returning Officer Refuses to Continue Process

The governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has stormed the Imo West election collation centre in Orlu where the returning officer for the district, I.I Ibeabuchi, had halted the collation process.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported how Mr Ibeabuchi, a professor, stopped the collation after announcing nine out of the 12 local governments in the district, saying he had been directed to “return to Owerri, the state capital.”

Efforts to make him continue had been unsuccessful.

Mr Okorocha, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress who had won eight out the 12 already collated local governments, arrived the collation centre in the early hours of Monday in an attempt to persuade Mr Ibeabuchi to continue with the process.

John Onyeriri, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is also at the collation centre.

Election observers and journalists were chased out of the collation centre.

But Mr Ibeabuchi reportedly stuck to his guns.

The Federal University of Technology professor had said due to the urgent call for him to return to Owerri, he would have to adjourn the process till Monday morning but APC supporters in the centre opposed him.

They insisted the returning officer “must complete” announcing the results, “otherwise, he is not going anywhere.”