The stage is set for the resumption of the collation of Abia State governorship election results which was on Monday suspended by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, following allegations of over-voting in Obingwa Local Government Area.
Following the suspension, INEC said it’s National Commissioners from Abuja would visit Abia to review the disputed results.
As the Commissioners were being awaited, the electoral umpire later directed the Presiding Officer, Professor Nnenna Oti; and the Administrative Secretary, Clement Oha, to proceed to Abuja with the disputed results.
INEC, after ironing out issues with the disputed results, Wednesday morning, announced that collation would resume at the Collation Centre located inside its office in Umuahia.
The collation centre is now filled with newsmen and a few party representatives with an army of security operatives strategically positioned around the INEC facility, awaiting the arrival of the Presiding Officer and other stakeholders.
Meanwhile, all the roads leading to the INEC office have been cordoned off by heavily armed security agents.
Traffic is also being diverted to alternate routes.
Anxiety has continued to mount across the state as the final declaration of the result is being awaited.
The Governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Dr Alex Otti already has over 92,000 ahead of other candidates.
Results of 16 Local Government Areas have been declared remaining only the controversial Obingwa LGA result.