Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to cancel the senatorial election it conducted in the Abia Central district for an alleged compromise.
The Publicity Secretary of the Party, Mr. Benedict Godson who made the call on Saturday, also urged INEC to sack the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state Dr. Joseph Iloh.
He said the reason behind the call was because the REC was already compromised even before the closure of voting as he was reportedly seen together with the immediate past governor of the state and Abia Central Senatorial candidate for the Peoples Democratic party, Senator Theodore Orji in a private meeting that lasted for 30 munites in Umuahia, the capital on Saturday.
Godson who spoke in Aba, the commercial hub of the state, said the party does not want anyone to truncate the will of Abia electorates who have made their choices through the ballot.
According to him, “We are calling for the immediate cancellation of the senatorial election in Abia Central and immediate sack of the REC in Abia State.
“One of the major reasons why we are calling for the cancellation is that just at about 12:20, the REC was visited by the immediate past governor, Chief T. A Orji and they discussed for 30 minutes before he left.
“How can a candidate who is contesting against other candidates and other parties like APC and APGA be having meeting with the REC who should stay neutral and non partisan on the day of a serious election like this?
“Because of this clandestine meeting, we are calling for the immediate sack of the Abia REC.”
Godson further stated that there are other reasons why they want Iloh to be sacked immediately because he is not worthy to be in the current position he occupies.
He said, “There are other reasons we want him out. In Abia South Senatorial Zone, in places like Akwaete in Ukwa East LGA, ballot papers arrived without party logos. Can you imagine that?
“Tell me how voters there would identify their party. Also in Obohia community in Ukwa East, incomplete Senatorial materials was what we saw. Who caused it?
“PDP has just exhibited their stock in trade. In Osisioma LGA which also falls under Abia Central, they colluded with INEC to delay accreditation up till 12:30 and 1pm just to frustrate voters and then do what they really wanted.
“All these antics were exhibited because of the presence of our Chairman who hails from Osisioma LGA and also our Senatorial candidate who is also from there.
“The discovered that people were trooping out to vote APC and resorted to the technique of instructing their collaborators in INEC to delay and frustrate voters to leave before they will have chance to manipulate things.”
Godson also urged the Inspector general of Police to remove of the Abia Commissioner of Police, Etim Okon for an alleged security lapses.
He said, “We are also calling for the immediate removal of the Police Commissioner of the state because in places like Owaza in Ukwa West LGA, voters were chased out and intimidated from coming out.
“There was no presence of police at all. Where we had crisis police were no where to be found. They colluded with INEC and disappeared when they were needed most.
“We want peace in the state and we don’t believe in intimidation. We respect the views of the electorates and we want it maintained. So, we believe most places should be cancelled.” (Citytimes)
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