The Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State has rejected the election results declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, announcing the All Progressives Congress candidate, Chief Francis Nwifru as the Governor-elect in the state.
Recall that the state INEC Returning Officer, Charles Igwe had announced that Mr Nwifuru pulled a total of 199,131 votes while his closest challenger, Ifeanyi Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 80,191 votes.
Igwe had added that the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Bernard Odoh, came third with 52,189 votes.
However, while addressing a Press conference in Abakaliki, the state chairman of PDP, Barr Ifeanyi Nwaorie described the APC victory as a "daylight robbery."
He alleged that the process was marred with violence and irregularities.
“Gentlemen of the press, it is obvious that what happened on the 18th was a melodramatic replay of what happened during the Presidential/National Assembly Election of 25th February 2023.
“We wish to hereby state categorically and unequivocally that the APC perfected a pre-determined charade in collaboration with INEC and announced concocted results, which were condemnable and unacceptable to us.
“INEC never acquitted itself creditably with patriotism and the high sense of responsibility expected of it,” he said.
Nworie, further maintained that the Gubernatorial Candidate of the party in the State, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii had won the election but the upturning of the results by INEC in collaboration with the All Progressives Congress APC in the State.
“We unflinchingly state that our candidate was duly elected by a majority of the lawful votes cast in the election for the office of the Governor of Ebonyi State“. he added.
According to him, the APC had unleashed violence on opposition political parties in the State, while recounting the gruesome murder of some of the party faithful and the destruction of properties before, and on election day.
“Our opponents in APC resorted to electoral manipulations, violence, killings, and the desecration of electoral rules. In Ezza North LGA, the Chairman of PDP in the Council Area was murdered by elements believed to be APC thugs on election day.
“The same thing happened in Onicha Igboeze, where a PDP agent was shot dead in similar circumstances.
We note that in the build-up to the commencement of electioneering campaigns in the country.
“The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) stripped the opposition of a level playing field by denying them campaign venues, generated and unleashed multiple modes of conflict and sporadic attacks determinedly perpetrated to perfect disruptions, violence, vandalism, snatching of electoral materials, voter intimidation and suppression, manipulations of results and a plethora of fraudulent practices during the elections”. Nworie explained.
He called on the security agencies to release PDP faithful in their custody allegedly arrested on the order of the State Governor, Engr David Nweze Umahi.
"We call on security agencies to unconditionally release all our members and supporters in various detention facilities in the state".
He called on supporters of the party to remain calm, law abiding and prayerful.
"We urge the people of Ebonyi State to remain calm and be assured that the mandate they have given to Dr. Odii but was stolen will certainly be recovered. Our legal team has been adequately briefed and nothing will deter us from retrieving the mandate".
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