A group of supporters of Labour Party’s governorship candidate for Abia State, Dr Alex Otti has demanded transparency from the Independent National Electoral Commission concerning the state’s just concluded elections.
They accused INEC of withholding results of the governorship and House of Assembly elections after three days.
Recall that the electoral umpire had said collation of results in Abia was suspended due to the invasion of the INEC office in Obingwa on Sunday March 19 2023, by suspected thugs.
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Notwithstanding, the group said INEC had delayed the announcement of the winner.
According to the group, it hoped that Otti, “the rightful winner” of the governorship election was announced.
The group identified as Alex Otti Support Group Worldwide said;
“Today makes it three (3) days after the conclusion of the Governorship/House of Assembly elections in Abia State, just like other states of the federation where elections took place.
“However, unlike all other states, the electoral umpire, INEC has held unto the results of the outcome of the election in Abia State where our dear friend, brother and compatriot Dr Alex Otti was coasting home to an overwhelming victory. Ditto for nearby Enugu State.
“INEC informed the world in a press release that the process of declaring the results in Abia was being suspended due to the invasion of their office in Obingwa on Sunday 19th March 2023, by suspected thugs who also held their officials hostage for hours!
“Their decision made sense to us like all other interested parties, and so we kept quiet. But events that have been playing out since yesterday are now giving us cause for serious concern. We think the process of review seems to be taking too long and is opaque, thereby leaving the candidates, especially Mazi Alex Otti, who already has a clear and unassailable lead, and his supporters in a state of anxiety.
“We therefore wish to inform the INEC Leadership that Mazi Otti’s numerous supporters, admirers, and associates all over the world are watching their activities very keenly.
“Finally, we are calling on the INEC Leadership to expedite the review process and move forward with the announcement of the outcome as the original results of all the local government areas, including Obingwa are already known to the world as captured on the INEC Server, after being uploaded at the various Polling Units by their Adhoc Staff, with all the various Party Agents possessing copies. We hope INEC as a supposedly independent body will do the right thing and expeditiously, too, in order to douse the unnecessarily generated tension in Abia State and beyond.
“Signed:
NIGERIA:
BEN-jamin Owuapu Willie
Eustace Odunze
Uloma Saya-Braide
Emeka Wigwe.”
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