Anxiety in the polity reached feverish peak, yesterday, as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the third time, shifted the announcement of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly election to 11 a.m today.
However, before adjourning announcement to Monday, the INEC National Collation Centre, chaired by INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced the result for Ekiti.
Results from most states of the country were being collated at the state level at press time as complaints about the slow response rate of the INEC Result Viewing, IREV, Portal, reigned.
Reports from the states showed that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won Osun, Adamawa and was doing well in some Northern states. Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP was winning in the South-East, Edo, and made impact in Lagos and Abuja.
All Progressives Congress, APC’s Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was leading in South-West, won some councils in Rivers and others in the North.
Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Party, NNPP, was leading in Kano and making inroads in some Northern states.
The electoral umpire had initially fixed 12 p.m yesterday for the announcement of the result. It later shifted it to 6p.m, yesterday before postponing it to 11 a.m today.
This happened as House Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, led a crop of serving Reps, who retained their seats just as Ebonyi State Governor won his election for Ebonyi South Senatorial zone. Also Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Basiru, was among senators who failed to return.