No winner could be declared at the end of the highly anticipated Tobago House of Assembly election, due to each of the leading parties taking six each of the 12 seats up for grabs.

It is the first time such an occurrence has happened in Tobago.

Unofficial reports indicate that the People’s National Movement has taken the electoral districts of Buccoo/Mt Pleasant, Scarborough/Calder Hall, Lambeau/Signal Hill, Canaan/Bon Accord, Black Rock/Whim/Spring Garden and Bacolet/Mt St George.

The PDP won Providence/Mason Hall/Moriah, Bethel/Mt Irving, Goodwood/Belle Garden and Plymouth/Golden Lane.

It is a significant dent in the side of the PNM in Tobago, given that under the last THA, the party held 10 of the 12 seats. 

PNM Tobago Council Leader, Tracy Davidson-Celestine expressed a bit of surprise over the results.

“I did not expect them to do as well as they have done but again, we are in a situation where we now have a tie and that would present a Tobago House of Assembly Act, a constitutional challenge at this time, but more importantly, the People’s National Movement has retained six seats in this election,” she said. 

PDP leader Farley Augustine welcomed the result, saying: “We’re elated! We have tied. We knew that NACTA poll (which claimed PNM would have won) was bogus all the time. This is a new day!”

It awaits to be seen exactly how the situation will fare in the coming days, given the law does not directly dictate what should be done in the unprecedented circumstance for Tobagonians.