From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State chapter of All Progressive Congress (APC) has rejected the December 18, local government election, describing it as a sham.
This is even as the South East media aide of the senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Chief Maduka Okoro has called on the chairman of Abia state Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), Prof Mkpa Agu Mkpa to apologize to the people of the state for making a mockery of the Local Government election.
Addressing journalists yesterday at the party secretariat in Umuahia, the caretaker committee chairman, Hon Donatus Nwankpa, said documents available to the party confirmed there was no election across the 17 local government areas and 292 wards of the state.
Nwankpa who described election as the ingredient of democracy also observed that the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) was evidently not prepared for the election, adding that in most cases there were no result sheets and other materials at the designated polling centers.
“We met a body that was not prepared for the election. In most cases, there were no ballot papers, result sheets and other materials. ABSIEC does not have capacity to conduct election in 292 wards and 17 local government areas”, he said.
Nwankpa observed that the materials which were brought to Isuikwuato local government area were taken back by the vehicle that brought them and wondered why ABSIEC chairman; Prof Mkpa said there was election even in Ohafia, his own local government, when APC has documents to the contrary.
Nwankpa said, “We have documents that there was no election in Ohafia but Professor Mkpa has gone ahead to say there was an election.
“Any result not announced at the poll unit is hereby rejected by APC. Until the right thing is done APC will seek redress in court,” he said.
Chief Okoro said right from the day Prof Mkpa was appointed ABSIEC chairman, he never his partisanship, that he is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While alluding to fact that election did not hold in parts of the state, Okoro called for the cancellation of the poll as according to him, APC would reject whatever result announced by ABSIEC.