Raphael Ede, Enugu
The United Democratic Party (UDP), yesterday, rejected the results of the governorship and assembly elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu State.
The party said the election was fraught with irregularities and called for forensic analysis of the election materials used in the state.
Addressing newsmen at the party’s office, UDP governorship candidate, Pastor Donatus Ozoemena, also alleged that the results were doctored to return the winner of the election.
“It was well planned, orchestrated and masterfully executed for rigging in favour of the incumbent governor of the state.”
Ozoemena, who was flanked by his deputy, Sunday Aroh and state chairman of the party, Prince Jideofor Ngene, during a press briefing, said he totally rejects the result as announced by INEC and would contest the result in court.
“Most UDP agents were not allowed to represent UDP at various polling units by INEC staff, who said they were required to have appointment letters, though they not only have INEC tags, but wore their tags as required by INEC. Some UDP agents were subjected to intimidation, beaten and tags torn from their necks.”
He alleged that, “the INEC staff, in collaboration with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) operatives refused to count the votes in the presence of the agents, adding that some of the party’s agents were not given the result sheets.
He said manual voting were conducted in some polling units without card readers, adding that the exercise was fraught with irregularities, including multiple thumb printing of ballot papers. He, therefore, prayed that forensic experts should be allowed to analyse the elections used in Enugu state.
He said the party had already petitioned the INEC over the irregularities and called on the members to be peaceful and law abiding, assuring that he would use every legal instrument at his disposal to reclaim “our stolen mandate.”
Meanwhile, the PDP campaign council in the state has expressed gratitude to the people for the overwhelming support that led to the victories of the party during Saturday’s elections.
The party’s Director of Communications, Mr Nana Ogbodo, in a statement, said the support across the 17 LGAs and 260 Wards led to the landslide victory of the party’s candidates.
“Your mandate is a testimony to your continued confidence in the PDP and indeed in our indefatigable Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, whose tenure has by your votes been renewed.”