Okorocha Rejects Poll Result, Accuses Soldiers Of Complicity In Electoral Fraud

Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has called for total
cancellation of the presidential election in six local council areas
of the state, even as he accused the military of aiding the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, in the alleged electoral fraud.

Reacting Monday, to the figures released by the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, Chief Okorocha named Oru East, Isiala
Mbano, Ohaji/Egbema, Ngor Okpala, Aboh Mbaise and parts of Owerri
West as some of the worst zones of alleged electoral fraud.

The Governor opined that apart from "unprecedented rigging", the
areas also witnessed abduction of agents of rival political parties,
who were manhandled and forced to lie prostrate on the ground by
soldiers acting on the orders of the federal government.

"Armed soldiers were used by the PDP as aides to the collation
officers. There was no collation of results at the ward levels as
prescribed by the Electoral Act. All the collating officers and
presiding officers were directed to go and submit their results at the
local government level from where they collected all the results from
the booths in the presence of soldiers", Okorocha alleged.

A visibly enraged Okorocha similarly blasted security agents for
barring opposition party agents from entering into INEC office, while
PDP officials had unfettered access into INEC premises.

Answering a question on his brush with security men at Ogboko, the
Governor said that 250 students of the Rochas Foundation College, who
he claimed were duly registered for the election and issued with
permanent voters' cards, PVC, were held hostage on trumped up charges
and prevented from voting by soldiers.

"Most of these halpless children are orphans and I am their father.
They duly registered for the election but soldiers arrested,
humiliated and detained them without food and water and they were only
released the following day", Okorocha recounted.

Answering another question, Okorocha denied that he tore INEC result
sheets, adding that his convoy was shot by security agents and one of
the boys in his entourage was seriously wounded and immediately rushed
to Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.
--Vanguard