Labour Party stakeholders in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State have berated the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, accusing the party of giving the area a bad image because of desperation to remain in power.
Recall that the local government has been in the news lately following some media reports that thugs invaded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation centre in the area.
Similarly, there were also reports of irregularities in the result of the governorship and House of Assembly elections held on Saturday to which INEC had since decided to review.
In a statement co-signed by the Chairman, Obingwa West Stakeholders of the Labour Party, Dr. Eric Egwuibe and the Coordinator, Labour Party, Obingwa West Constituency, Maxwell Nwadike and made available to Journalists, the stakeholders commended INEC’s decision to review the results.
It also called on the electoral umpire to immediately declare the governorship candidate of the party, Dr. Alex Otti the winner of the election.
The statement read thus: “We note with dismay the desperation of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) in Abia State to perpetuate itself in power at all cost even when the people of Abia State have collectively rejected them and sent them packing in the Saturday, March 18, Governorship and House of Assembly elections.
“Having failed everywhere in the State, the PDP has refused to give up on Obingwa LGA.
“It will be recalled that one of us, Dr. George Chiedozie, the Labour Party Local Government Collation agent was brutally beaten by the PDP thugs at the collation centre at Mgboko, the Council’s headquarters Saturday night.
“Most regrettable is the election results from the LGA that were highly doctored beyond the accredited number of voters in the local government.
“Needless to say that the reports of this criminal incidences have since reached the INEC headquarters in Abuja which has also promised to review the results and do the right thing.
“We welcome and commend INEC for this bold decision to correct the anomalies.
“We believe that the review will filter the padded results and restore the correct figures.
“While this goes, we strongly urge the electoral umpire to declare our governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti the winner of the election on the account of the wide margin of the winning votes so far announced with or without the Obingwa result.
“There should be no further delays as this is already brewing tension and palpable fear in the State
“We are also appalled by the PDP’s call in the State to INEC to accept the doctored result.
“This clearly shows that the PDP has bared its fangs of desperation.
“Obingwa is one of the 774 Local Government Areas in the country where the elections held on Saturday but it has been in the news for the wrong reasons. We regret the bad image the PDP has brought to Obingwa and urge INEC not to succumb to their mischief”.