For the first case, the Collation Officer told SaharaReporters that the commission had done everything possible to track the Presiding Officer, but it all proved abortive.
Two presiding officers have escaped with election results for their poling units in Katsina State, prompting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The first incident happened with the presidential election in Polling Unit 004, Wakilin Yamma II Ward, Katsina Local Government, while the second happened with another polling unit with the senatorial and house of representatives elections in Wakilin Yamma II.
For the first case, the Collation Officer told SaharaReporters that the commission had done everything possible to track the Presiding Officer, but it all proved abortive.
“We collated results for 25 polling units; we were waiting for the last one, which is PU 004,” he said.
“The Presiding Officer was nowhere to be found. We contacted him through phone; we spent like five hours calling him but he did not pick. Party agents called him, security agents searched for him but he is nowhere to be found. We have filled an incident form and we have had to cancel that polling unit.”
Also, the Collation Officer for Wakilin Yamma II said two polling units were unavailable for Senate and House of Reps collation because the Presiding Officer refused to show up.
“The materials were duly dispatched, and elections duly conducted at both units,” he said. “But after several efforts to reach the PO, the units were cancelled with the approval of the Electoral Officer of INEC KATSINA LGA.”