The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deferred the compilation of the final results of the Bayelsa State gubernatorial election held on Saturday.
The commission’s returning officer, Faruk Kuta, postponed the announcement of the results, shortly after the results of three local government areas were declared. The exercise began at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Faruk, a professor and vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, said it would resume at 3 p.m.
Governor Douye Diri has taken the lead in the results of three local government areas declared so far by INEC. Mr. Diri is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PPD).
He is leading his closest rival, Timipre Sylva, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), by about 38,477 votes.
READ ALSO: #BayelsaDecides2023: Sylva trails Diri with 38,477 votes as INEC postpones compilation of final result
Diri has already secured 74,677 votes from the three LGAs (Kolokuma/Opokuma, Ogbia and Yenagoa) declared so far, while Sylva is in second place with 36,200 votes.
Diri’s early lead is not a sure sign of his overall election victory, with results still awaited from five local government areas that may still tip the balance in some way.
Results from five other LGAs are still expected to reach the INEC collection center in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.
