Chuks Onuoha, Umuahia, with agency report
Abia Chapter of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) has called for the cancellation of the March 9 governorship election in the state.
APC made the call because of what it called “so many electoral anomalies including cases of snatching of ballot boxes, non-use of Card Readers, thuggery and intimidation” in so many councils in the state.
The party also alleged that manipulation of voters at polling units by some staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was high.
Addressing journalists at press conference in Aba, yesterday, the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Benedict Godson, said his party demanded total cancellation of all results and immediate sack of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Joseph Iloh.
“The election in Abia, last Saturday, was a fraud. It is not worthy to be recorded as election. Abia APC calls for total cancellation of the governorship election in Abia because there was no proper voting except if INEC is saying now that the criminalities we witnessed yesterday is the definition of election in Nigeria.
“What took place on March 9, in many local government areas, wards and polling units in our state was an organised crime. It was never an election. The intimidation of our agents, our candidates, supporters and even many innocent Abia people; who only came out to effect the change we all are yearning for was what took place.
“In almost all the wards in Osisioma South and Osisioma North State constituencies, the PDP thugs snatched ballot boxes, beat up our agents and intimidated everyone who tried to express a different opinion. Our candidate in Osisioma South State constituency, Chima Oriaku, was beaten black and blue by the PDP thugs and was hospitalised. We got information that his life is still under threat and we are doing our best to ensure nothing goes wrong with him.
“Innocent Abia people, who came out at Osisioma, were chased away in places they discovered were APC strongholds.”
Godson also alleged that in many local government wards, Card Readers were abandoned for manual voting.
“They just thumb printed recklessly without due process. From Obingwa, Osisioma, Ohafia, Ukwa East and West down to Ugwunagbo and Isiala Ngwa South and North there was nothing like election. Materials were missing and incomplete in so many places.”
Meanwhile, Abia State Governor and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), candidate for the 2019 governorship election in Abia State, Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, was announced as winner with 261,127 votes, to beat his closest opponent, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, of the APC, who garnered 99,574 votes. The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Dr. Alex Otti, came third with 64,366 votes.
But, Ogah’s camp has rejected the results.
Director General of the Uche Ogah Campaign Organisation, Chief Kenneth C. Ugabja, rejected the results and alleged that the results were doctored. He reiterated that his party would not accept it.
Also, the state APGA chairman, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, distanced his party from the results and called for its total cancellation.
He said his party has submitted their petition to INEC; calling for total cancellation based on irregularities and other wrong doings.