Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the suspension of government election results collation in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
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INEC put a pause on the exercise in Abia and Enugu states to review the results in Obingwa Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia, as well as Nkanu East and Nsukka LGAs in Enugu.
But in a swift response, Abia PDP express its disappointment and consternation with the decision by INEC.
The party Chairman, Asiforo Okere, stated that the collation of Obingwa LGA result had already passed through unit, ward and Local government collation processes.
Okere faulted the reason that the INEC “office in Obingwa Local Government Area was invaded by thugs yesterday Sunday 19th, March 2023 and our officials held hostage in relation to the collation of results from the Local Government Area”, according to INEC National Commissioner Festus Okoye.
According to him, it is on the record that Obingwa is the only LGA where polling agents insisted on full compliance with the commission’s stated guideline of announcement of results at unit, and collation at wards so that polling agents can have copies prior to submission to state collation office.
The statement read in part:
We are not aware of any report by security agencies in the state, including Nigerian Police Force if the Department of State Services (DSS), indicating violence in Obingwa LGA before, during and after the election of March 18th, 2023,
We therefore call on INEC to immediately accept and announce Obingwa LGA result as collated from units through the wards, using the same guideline and rules they applied during 2023 presidential election.
See the full statement below:
PRESS RELEASE
The Abia State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wishes to express her disappointment and consternation with the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC Nigeria to review the collation of Obingwa LGA result which has already passed through unit, ward and Local government collation processes, ostensibly because INEC “office in Obingwa Local Government Area was invaded by thugs yesterday Sunday 19th, March 2023 and our officials held hostage in relation to the collation of results from the Local Government Area”, according to a statement credited to Barr Festus Okoye.
It is important to note the following:
1. There were also reports of INEC officials allegedly being held hostage in Ohafia LGA, Umuahia South and Umuahia North, yet INEC accepted results from those LGAs.
2. It is on record that Obingwa is the only LGA where polling agents insisted on full compliance with the INEC’s stated guideline of announcement of results at unit, and collation at wards so that polling agents can have copies prior to submission to State collation office.
3. We are not aware of any report by security agencies in the state, including Nigerian Police Force if the Department of State Services (DSS), indicating violence in Obingwa LGA before, during and after the election of March 18th, 2023.
4. Our party, and indeed others, have seriously complained about results that were changed at INEC office Umuahia, contrary to INEC procedures, with particular reference to Unuahia North, Umuahia South, Osisioma, Aba North, Aba South and Arochukwu without any action taken by INEC.
5. We suspect strongly that this so called review is another grand design to subvert the 2022 electoral guidelines, as published by INEC in our state given that in the case of Presidential elections, PDP and other parties made similar calls for review without acceptance by INEC that simply asked them to “go to court”.
We therefore call on INEC to immediately accept and announce Obingwa LGA result as collated from units through the wards, using the same guideline and rules they applied during 2023 presidential election.
Rt Hon Asiforo Okere
Abia State Chairman
Peoples Democratic Party
20/03/2023
