The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has called for the cancellation of election results from Ohafia local government and other places marred with violence in Saturday’s governorship and house of assembly polls, Igbere TV reports.
This was as party threatened not to accept altered results and results from manipulated units, wards or local governments in the state, accusing PDP agents of taking desperate measures to save themselves from impending defeat.
Igbere TV reports that there has been reported cases of violence in some parts of the state. In Ohafia LGA for instance, armed thugs suspected to be loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday night, invaded the collation centre and carted away ballot boxes and election results sheet.
In a statement signed by Great Imo Jonathan, Special Adviser (Media) to the APC guber candidate in the state, Dr Uche Ogah, and made available to Igbere TV, the party also claimed they have details of places where their agents were violently chased away, election materials hijacked, results altered or wrong results announced.
They, therefore, called on all youth members of the party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to proceed to their local government collation centres and to the state collation centre to monitor the exercise.
The party vowed not to accept any result that does not reflect the will of the people of Abia, while calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to warn their state officers and appointed representatives in Abia to do the right thing and avoid creating crisis in the state.
Full Statement,
“This is to inform the Independent National Electoral Commission, the good people of Abia State and the nation at large, that the governorship and state assembly elections that started peacefully in Abia State has now gone violent, as PDP agents on noticing their impending defeat and victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC), are taking desperate measures to avert the will of the people. We want to make it clear that we will not accept anything order than the verdict of the people and we will not accept altered results and results from manipulated units, wards or local governments. We have details of places where our agents were violently chased away, election materials were hijacked, results were altered or wrong results were announced.
“For example, at the Ohafia Local Government Collation Centre, the deputy governor of Abia State came last night with armed thugs, armed uniformed men and what appears to be SARS officers threatening to kill our collection agent and they took over the centre and results are being uttered.
“In Umusonyike polling unit, Amasa Nsulu ward 1, Isiala Ngwa North, PDP agents hijacked and burnt result sheets. In Umuagu ibeku east ward 2, the CO absconded with materials along with PDP agents and our party agents did not sign results. In Usaka Umuofor polling unit Amasa Nsulu ward 1, Isiala Ngwa North local government area, agents of the PDP chased APC agents with machetes. Mr David Ikeocha, an APC member was hit with wooden planks and our party agents chased into the bush. Ballot boxes were carted away by the PDP agents with INEC officials, police and and civil defence officers on duty. They went into a building belonging to one Mr Uche, a PDP leader’s home and did multiple thumb printing and results were manufactured. At the Isiala Ngwa North LGA collation centre, a petition by APC agents were rejected.
“In Obingwa Card Readers were used to authenticate multiple PVCs that were in the possession of PDP agents but they did not recognize fingerprint of card bearers. But compromised INEC officials and police officers allowed persons holding these cards to vote by filling incident forms even when pictures on PVCs were different from the facial look of holders.
“This happened in many polling units in Obingwa, Isiala Ngwa, Nkporo and some part of Aba. A former local government chairman of Obingwa local government abducted APC party agents in umuorukwu and in obeala, intimidated APC voters on ground and supervised massive rigging in the area and up till now the abducted agents have not been seen. There was massive thumb printing done in Mr Nwakanma’s home (Ex Deputy governor). The same obtained in the home of Allen Nwachukwu, in osisioma local government area.
“In Ward 12, Aba south, voting was disrupted and thumb printed ballot papers were sneaked in. In many places in Osisioma, Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South and Aba, PDP armed cultists took over voting centres, including ugbada hall urata, off Port Harcourt road. In Ward 5, Aba South, ballot boxes were brought in but there were no ballot papers.
“These are few examples of PDP brigandage in parts of Abia State that calls to question some of the results that some compromised INEC officials wants to return in collaboration with armed PDP agents who have started unleashing violence in local government collation centres.
“But we want to make it clear to the PDP, their thugs, some compromised INEC and security officers, that we are not sleeping. The good people of Abia have spoken and they have given APC their mandate and we are sure of victory. With records on ground and results in our possession, we are confident of victory and we will not allow anything to the contrary. We are waiting for PDP agents and their collaborators at the state collation centre and we promise them a good dose of what is necessary as they are bent on toeing the negative path.
“We call on all youth members of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to proceed to their local government collation centres and to the state collation centre. The will of our people again is being tested by those who think they can continue to mortgage the destiny of our dear state. The time is now or never, we must tell them and their collaborators in INEC and security agencies that the destiny of Abia State can no longer be toyed with.
“We will not accept any result that does not reflect the will of the good people of Abia State. We call on the National leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission, to warn their state officers and appointed representatives in Abia State, to do the right thing and avoid creating crisis in our state. Our victory must be announced as given by the good people of Abia State.”
