George Onyejiuwa , Owerri
The Orlu zonal leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that its candidate, .Jones Onyeriri, won the Imo West Senatorial election.
This was just as they accused the Police and Army of colluding with Governor Rochas Okorocha to snatch ballot boxes, harrass and intimidate voters during the polls across the 12 local government areas of Orlu zone.
The state vice chairman and zonal chairman of Orlu zone, Chief Alloy Igwe who briefed the press at the weekend, said Onyeriri was the lawful winner of the election.
“ Hon. Jones Onyeriri is the lawful winner of the senatorial election in Imo West. Allowing Governor Rochas Okorocha to go free with this impunity will be a recipe for lawlessness and wrong signal to all those who believe in the rule of law and sanctity of electoral process in the country. Most worrisome is the manhandling of the Returning Officer, Prof. Innocent Ibeabuwchi by Governor Rochas Okorocha and his collaborators forcing him under duress to declare him (Okorocha) winner in the most barbaric and inhuman manner witnessed before in our electoral process in Nigeria.
“We urge the INEC to immediately invoke relevant provisions in its rule of engagement to disqualify Governor Rochas Okorocha.”
The party also alleged that military and the police colluded with Governor Okorocha to unleash terror on the voters during the election .
“Many of you who monitored this sham of an election will observe that in most parts of the zone, Governor Okorocha who was himself on the senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was aided by the Police and Army from the 34 Artillery Brigade. Their undemocratic onslaught on members of the PDP generally led to the announcement of fake results, voter apathy, fear and lack of interest by voters in the democratic process,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, Governor Okorocha has absolved President Muhammadu Buhari of blame in the actions of the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, regarding recent happenings in the party.
According to him, the president is too descent and does not have appetite for lawlessness like Oshiomole in running the affairs of APC.
“The president has nothing to do with Oshiomhole’s disdain for the right actions and the chairman’s charity for lawlessness and total disregard for the party’s Constitution,” the Imo governor who was suspended alongside Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and others, said.
Governor Okorocha who spoke through his Chief Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo noted that “Adams Oshiomhole has done so many strange things with the party and it would be wrong for anybody to think that President Buhari, known for his penchant for decency, honesty and forthrightness would be on the same page with the national chairman.”
Okorocha, who is also the chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, further said that “the national chairman has told the world that he wanted to ensure party supremacy.
Oshiomhole’s idea of party supremacy could be the purported suspension of two governors on the platform of the party few days after the presidential and the National Assembly elections in which the party did well without any contribution from him, Okorocha stated.
“The president was voted by Nigerians across the geo-political zones because he has proved to be real and can be trusted. When he said I am fighting corruption, you see it happening. It cannot be the same thing with someone who sold the tickets of the party to the highest bidders.
“We are yet to see any Nigerian living who would have defeated President Buhari in that election. He has earned the confidence and trust of most Nigerians, and in states where he lost, you could see traces of wanton manipulation and mutilation of election figures like in the case of Imo.
“In other words, the president has nothing to do with Oshiomhole’s disdain for the right actions and the chairman’s charity for lawlessness and total disregard for the party’s Constitution,” the governor said.