The leadership of the People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) in Abia State has rejected in total terms the result of the Saturday rerun poll in Abia North Senatorial District, calling for a 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, Chief Mao 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, Dr. Ojike Nwankwo, had at the Ohafia INEC collation centre on Sunday, March 6, 2016, at7.00 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 rerun 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 in closed door to perfect their illegal action. It was gathered that the returning officer and other INEC officials were compromised by the PDP agents with the support of the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, who doled out handsome cash gifts to them to reverse their earlier position.
“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 Chief Mao Ohuabunwa as winner.
The PPA chieftain further stated that, “our party loyalists, supporters and friends are, by this medium, calling on the Buhari-led federal government to probe into 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.
