Leadership of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in Abia State has rejected, in total terms, the result of last Saturday’s re-run poll in Abia North senatorial district.
The party called for cancellation of the results of the controversial polling units in Ohafia and Arochukwu local governments.
According to the PPA zonal chairman in Abia North, Hon. Rapheal Ukoro, the returning officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Ojike Nwankwo, on Sunday afternoon, announced Chief Mao Ohuabunwa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner despite declaring the election inconclusive on Sunday morning based on the controversial results of Wards 2 and 3 in Arochukwu (home base of the PDP candidate, Ohuabunwa due to heavy ballot-box snatching and falsification of results.
Addressing a press conference in Umuahia on Monday, he said: “We wish to state categorically that our great party, PPA, affirms its position on the rejection of the result of the Saturday rerun poll in Abia North, noting that the returning officer of INEC, Nwankwo, had, at the Ohafia INEC collation centre on Sunday, March 6, 2016, at 7.00 a.m, announced in the presence of party agents and other INEC officials that due to irregularities in some wards in Arochukwu and Ohafia local governments, where election was marred by widespread rigging and violence, the election was inconclusive.
“Shortly after the declaration of the indecisiveness of the re-run poll, the returning officer and other INEC officials moved to the State INEC office in Umuahia, where the PDP candidate and agents met with them behind closed doors to perfect their illegal action. It was gathered that the returning officer and other INEC officials were compromised by the PDP agents.
“ Thereafter, we were dazed to see the INEC team return to the Ohafia collation centre at 1.45 p.m. to reverse a previously declared and announced inconclusive election to a completed poll declaring Ohuabunwa as winner.
The PPA chieftain stated that, “our party loyalists, supporters and friends are, by this medium, calling on the Buhari-led Federal Government to probe the inconsistent decisions of INEC as the people of Abia North have vowed to reclaim their stolen mandate by the PDP and its agents.
Ukoro called on the people of Abia North to remain steadfast and calm in the patriotic fight for a good cause.