INEC Reverses Result Cancellation In Abia

There was tension at the Independent National Electoral Commission's
secretariat in Umuahia on Sunday as the Peoples Democratic Party
practically arm twisted the state Returning Officer, Prof. Benjamin
Ozumba, to reverse his decision on the cancellation of the
governorship results in three local government areas of the state.

But the state Governor, Theodore Orji, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, and the Minister of
State for Defence, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd.) stormed the venue of
the collation exercise for the state governorship election to demand
the reversal of the decision.

The state Returning Officer, who is also the Vice Chancellor,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, had cancelled results for Isiala-Ngwa
North, Osisioma and Obimgwa local government areas citing widespread
electoral malpractices, violence, ballot box snatching and reports of
independent foreign observers that monitored the exercise.

Announcing the cancellation, Ozumba said, "We are here to uphold the
rule of law and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
By the power vested in me as the state collation and returning
officer, I hereby cancel results from the following local governments;
Obingwa, Isiala-Ngwa North and Osisioma. This is based on the evidence
before me and the provisions of the constitution and Electoral Act."

Ahamdi Nweke, the APGA agent at the collation centre had argued that
there were no elections in Osisioma Local Government, coupled with
cases of electoral violence and ballot box snatching in other places.

The PDP agent, Solomon Ogunji, while reacting to the cancellation said
that it was unheard of that result of an election would be cancelled
based on evidence from foreign observers and social media.

According to him, his party will not accept the decision.

Abaribe insisted that the collation exercise would not continue until
the decision was reversed. Meanwhile, the Resident Electoral
Commissioner, Prof. Selina Oko, left the collation centre to hold a
closed door meeting with the governor, Metuh, Abaribe and other PDP
chieftains that had besieged the INEC office.

Ozumba attempted to continue with the collation exercise, but was
stopped by other PDP stalwarts who had flooded the venue, insisting
that the exercise could not continue until their demands were met.
Ozumba was left with no option than to leave the collation centre,
bringing the collation exercise to a halt.

During the course of the forced break, Nweke granted a press interview
where he accused the PDP of electoral violence, malpractice and
falsification of results.

Reacting, the PDP agent, Solomon Ogunji, denied all the allegations.

He wondered why an election that had produced members of the state
House of Assembly would be cancelled at the governorship level.

Abaribe, who also spoke to the press said that he would not allow the
Ngwa people, whom he represents at the Senate, to be disenfranchised
by the action of the Returning Officer, because the three local
government areas in question are in Ngwa land.

At the resumption of proceedings, Ozumba reversed his earlier
decision, citing orders from above, to the delight of the PDP and its
officials.
--PUNCH