Victor Ezeja
The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, has raised the alarm over an alleged attempt by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and compromised officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state to sabotage his victory in the Saturday’s poll.
Otti made the claim in a statement released via his verified Twitter handle on Saturday night.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHe claimed that a tally of results uploaded on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal and the ones officially released ready show that the Labour Party is winning by landslide.
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He, however, accused the PDP government in the state of making desperate moves to scuttle the outcome by allegedly conniving with some compromised INEC officials and security agents to stop some results from being declared.
Otti specifically mentioned some local government areas being withheld like said that Obingwa, Osisioma, Aba north and Aba south.
“From virtually all the results uploaded and released, Labour Party won by landslide.
Unfortunately, the PDP government has refused to allow some of the results to stand, and they are doing this with the active connivance of some compromised INEC Staff and some security agents.
The LG involved are Obingwa where the outgoing governor is from, Osisioma, Aba north and Aba south where we won overwhelmingly.
Obingwa is a very interesting case, because in the majority of the wards, with the active connivance of INEC, the BIVAS was not used, so they are making effort to push in fake results,” Otti stated.
He called on the Federal government and the INEC chairman to ensure that the right thing is done in the state allowing only results that correspond with BVAS accreditation and what were uploaded on the IReV to be declared.
“I want to use this opportunity to call on the Federal government and particularly the INEC chairman to ensure that the right thing is done in Abia State. So I expect that any result that is not coming out of BIVAS accreditation will not be accepted.
“I urge the INEC chairman to prevail on the INEC Resident electoral commissioner for Abia and other INEC staff to give peace a chance and ensure that the right thing is done,” Otti added.
Otti Wins Own Polling
Otti won his polling Unit 17, Ward 5 in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of the state.
Otti scored 154 votes to defeat his closest rival the All Progressives Congress candidate in Abia State, Ikechi Emenike, who polled nine votes. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Okey Ahiwe, scored 19 votes in the polling unit.
He had earlier after voting, condemned in strong terms pockets of violence and attacks on the Abia electorate by some suspected political thugs which he alleged were members of the PDP-led government.
He urged the PDP government to stop violence and allow a free and fair election in the state.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
