A former Senate President, Adolfus Wabara, has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to save Abia State from political crisis that may be a direct fallout of the cancellation of some results of the April 11 governorship election in the state.
Wabara made the call at a news conference organised by a group of leaders of Abia, the Ukwa Ngwa Leaders of Thought, in Lagos, on Friday.
Wabara faulted the cancellation of the governorship election results in several polling units of the state where the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, won.
According to him, it was illegal of the state Returning Officer, Prof. V C Ozumba, and the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Selina Okoh, to declare the election inconclusive when “it was apparent that Ikpeazu has won.”
He said the cancellation of the results from four local government areas, which included Obingwa and Osisioma, runs contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Wabara also alleged that the election was declared inconclusive in order to favour the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, Dr. Alex Otti.
He described Obingwa and Osisioma local government areas as the strongholds of Ikpeazu, stressing that the people of Abia were ready to defend their votes.
The former Senate President said: “There’s a conspiracy against my people. We call for the firing of the REC and the state Returning Officer. Both of them should be prosecuted for subverting the general wish of the electorate.
Speaking at the press conference, the leader of the group, Mr. Emmanuel Adaelu, said all that the people of Abia want is for INEC to declare the final result of the election, warning that “Abia people will not accept a rerun because an election has been conducted and we have won.”
He faulted insinuations that the election was declared inconclusive because some international observers noted some irregularities, adding that Nigeria’s sovereignty superseded foreign control.
Comentários