Abia: Complaints galore

vanguardngr.com

In Abia State, the governorship and House of Assembly elections were generally peaceful. Reports from across the state indicated that INEC deployed materials in time and accreditation also commenced on time.

However, there were complaints from Ofeme and other communities in Ohuhu clan to the effect that the result sheets supplied to the area were fake. The same complaint was received in some communities in Umuahia South council area.

Alex Otti

But the INEC Director of Public Education and Enlightenment, Mr. Edwin Enabor, dismissed the allegations. According to him, when the people from Ohuhu came with their complaint, the electoral officers posted to the area were called to bring the materials which he said proved that what they had were genuine INEC materials.

Also, there were areas where card readers did not work and the people reverted to the manual process. This affected areas like Obingwa, Ohafia, Umuahia South.

There was equally reports of alleged hijack of ballot papers at Ihechiowa in Arochukwu council area, World Bank Primary School and Afara Technical School in Umuahia.

Governor Theodore Orji, who voted at 2.10pm in his Ugba Primary School Unit, expressed satisfaction with the turnout of voters and their peaceful conduct and expressed the hope that it would be the same across the state.

Orji also expressed the hope that PDP would win the polls to retain power in the state. Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Abia, Dr. Alex Otti, has called for the cancellation of the governorship and state assembly elections in the state, alleging that they were fraught with fraud.

Otti alleged while speaking to newsmen in his Umuehim Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area that the elections were marred by armed thugs suspected to be loyal to PDP who allegedly invaded polling units, shot sporadically and snatched ballot boxes.