Former Senate President Adolfus Wabara has urged the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to save Abia State from the political crisis likely to emanate over the cancellation of some results of the April 11 governorship election in the state.
Wabara spoke at a news conference organised by a group of leaders of Abia, the Ukwa Ngwa Leaders of Thought, in Lagos, on Friday.
He 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.
The former senate president said 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.”
Wabara said the cancellation of the results from four local government areas, which included Obingwa and Osisioma, was against the dictates of the Electoral Act.
He said the election was declared inconclusive in order to favour the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, Dr. Alex Otti.
Specifically, Wabara described Obingwa and Osisioma local government areas as the strongholds of Ikpeazu, stressing that the people of Abia were ready to defend their votes.
He 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.
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.”
Faulting the insinuation that the election was declared inconclusive because some international observers noted some irregularities, Adaelu said Nigeria’s sovereignty superseded foreign control.
Copyright PUNCH.
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