Labour Party’s Otti coasting to victory in Abia, as PDP, Ikpeazu intensify plot

Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the Abia governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), last Saturday, Dr Alex Otti is set to emerge winner and governor-elect, with results already uploaded to the IReV portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as at Sunday afternoon already indicting the development.

Results from 17 local government areas in the state already uploadad show the Labour Party in the clear lead with the outcome of the poll in Obingwa local council still pending.

The incumbent state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu is from the Obingwa local government area in the state.

This is despite mounting allegations by opposition in the state accusing the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of attempting to upturn the results in collusion with INEC in the state.

Similarly, results submitted by LP party agents from various polling units in the state indicate the LP ware in the clear lead despite the outcome of Obingwa still awaited.

INEC had announced the suspension of collation of results, on Sunday, promising to resume the exercise by 6pm on same day but failed to do so, prompting allegations by the opposition of attempts by the ruling party to doctor the final results especially from the awaited Obingwa council.

Meanwhile, Abians who spoke to Oracle Today newspaper, say the total number of registered voters in Obingwa is not enough to change the final outcome of the state election even if the ruling government decides to doctor it.

The INEC has yet to officially announce the final results of the election in the state, as collation has yet to resume as at the time of press.

Otti of the Labour Party had earlier raised the alarm about alleged plots by the governor in connivance with some ‘compromised INEC staff’ to alter results of about four Local Government Areas, including Osisioma, Aba North, Aba South and Obingwa LGA, where the governor hails from.

While Governor Ikpeazu is not a candidate in the election by virtue of his inability to seek a third term, his former Chief of Staff, Okechukwu Ambrose Ahiwe, is the candidate of the ruling PDP.

Governor Ikpeazu and the police had reportedly stormed the Obingwa office of INEC over undisclosed reasons not unrelated to the collated results, however, when he left, some unidentified thugs remained at the Obingwa collation centre and prevented the election officers from relocating to the Umuahia collation office.

The thugs were demanding that the results of polling units in the LGA be announced before being transferred to the state office.

Consequently, INEC which confirmed its office in Obingwa Local Government Area office in Abia State had been invaded by thugs, said it will issue a statement to that effect.

INEC which made the disclosure via its verified Twitter handle (@inecnigeria), Sunday after, said it is ‘monitoring the situation’ and will issue a statement to that effect.

Results released by INEC so far for Abia in the governorship and state Assembly polls conducted last Saturday, showed the Labour Party in the lead, with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) closing in.

“Thugs have invaded our Obingwa Local Government Area office in Abia State.

Security agencies have been alerted.

“The Commission is monitoring the situation and will issue a statement shortly,” INEC tweeted.

On same Sunday afternoon, INEC uploaded some of the awaited results o tom its IReV portal from Ukwa West LGA where the PDP polled 4622 votes to clinch the council with LP-2833, APC-1209, APGA-830.

Other results released as at Sunday afternoon, include;

Ukwa East LGA

APC 560

APGA 646

LP 2273

PDP 232

Umunneochi LGA

APC 2034

APGA 581

LP 5940

PDP 3198

Bende LGA

APC 2143

APGA 847

LP 9886

PDP 3410

Isiala Ngwa North

APC 838

APGA 225

LP 7323

PDP 21741

Isiala Ngwa South

APC 1580

APGA 366

LP 7589

PDP 9093

Meanwhile, in a Sunday statement he signed, the LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, alleged that Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, is involved in an attempt to upturn the victory of his party in the states.

He also accused the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, of attempting to change results in PDP favour against LP’s candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, whom he said is leading in most local government announced so far.

“INEC staff are held hostage at Obingwa Local Govt by Governor Ikpeazu and his cohorts to rewrite the results already compiled by INEC officials despite an order from the election body asking their staff to head to Umuahia to collate results for the election, which is in favour of Labour’s Alex Otti,” Abure said.

On his part, Otti in a statement, Sunday, alleged that the ruling PDP and its governor were plotting to upstage the LP in Abia by falsifying the March 18 elections results.

“As we speak, INEC staff are held hostage at Obingwa Local Govt by Governor Ikpeazu and his cohorts to rewrite the results already compiled by INEC officials despite order from the election body asking their staff to head to Umuahia to collate results for the election, which is in favour of Labour’s Alex Otti.

“This is one robbery too many. While Nigerians are yet to get over the ugly rape of a democratic process in last month presidential election by the ruling party at the centre, the PDP has been found engaged in the most shameless manner and disregard for the rights of the citizens.

“We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police to intervene and ensure the transfer of all electoral materials to Umuahia where the sanctity of the election and safety of the officials in charge can be guaranteed.

“Ikpeazu cannot rig election in his local government which he lost in the Senatorial elections on the 25^th,” Otti claimed.