Party Chairman demands for investigation of results, ask for re-run
The Ebonyi house of assembly candidate for Afikpo NorthEast Constituency on the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Amb. Azubuike Ewa Agu has rejected the result of the March 18 Guber/assembly election in Ebonyi State, calling for the cancellation of the poll.
The SDP candidate called on the INEC to cancel the election in Afikpo North East and some parts of the State and ordered a rerun.
This is as a result of what he described as “irregularities, intimidation, violence amongst others” that marred the Saturday election.
In an interview with the press, Hon Azuibuike said, the voters were disenfranchised from voting, as the SDP logo appeared washed-off on the ballot paper. Adding that many voters were intimated and attacked.
Stating “the election concluded on Saturday March, 18 2023 for Afikpo NorthEast House of Ebonyi State Assembly is inconclusive.
There were electoral impunities in the polling units involving the INEC officials and party agents. In some polling units there were impersonation of our agents by opposition thugs who aided in the rigging of the elections,”he stated.
In the same vien the chairman of the party, Hon.Abraham Okpani called for the cancellation of the election stating that the election failed to pass the test of credibility and fairness.
He maintained that’s in Ezza North, there were records of violence, Voters’ intimidation and vote buying.
“information reaching us from our agents, is that Ballot papers already thumb printed by voters in favour of our party, were sorted out and torned or rendered invalid, voters were not allowed to vote other political parties. Some of the party agents were seen aiding voters to thumb print on the ballot paper,” he said.
“The election as it is now cannot pass the test of fairness and credibility. If the election of Saturday, March 18,2023 is allowed to stand , that means we have totally lost hope in INEC conducting a free and fair election, election free from violence, electoral malpractices and voters’ oppression”, he stated.
He further demanded that the Independent Electoral Commission investigate the poll and re-run the election in the affected areas.
