The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Ebonyi State chapter has given the State Resident Electoral Commission and the Returning Officer, for Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency Supplementary election conducted on Saturday, an ultimatum of three hours to declare the result of the election or face consequences from the masses. The party, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Hon Nwanchor Chibuike, warned INEC against tampering with the results of the Federal Constituency. The statement also called on INEC to be on the right side of history by not succumbing to the threats, bribes, and intimidation of the ruling party in connivance with INEC to steal the people’s mandate.
The APGA Publicity Secretary added that the party was displeased with INEC’s delay in officially declaring the results despite the clear victory of the party’s candidate, Rt. Hon. Joseph Nwobasi, in Saturday’s rerun of the election. The party maintained that it had watched with dismay the theatrics deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the electoral umpire fiddles with the results of the Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency result which its candidate had clearly won.
In a related development, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Chief Kingsley Ikoro of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the House of Assembly Election conducted in Afikpo North West State Constituency. The Collation Officer, Professor Omaka Omaka, announced that Chief Ikoro, the serving Deputy Speaker of the House, secured 5,012 votes to defeat Hon Ogbonnia Oko Enyim, who scored 5,099 votes. Similarly, the People’s Democratic Party Candidate for Abakaliki North State Constituency, Mr Victor Nwoke, defeated his closest rival, Hon Maxwell Umahi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to emerge the winner of the rerun election.
It is imperative that INEC ensures transparency in its activities and declares the results of the election in due time. The need for free, fair and credible elections cannot be overemphasized