FOLLOWING the massive rigging that characterised the March 5, Abia North Senatorial rerun poll, youths under the auspices of Ohafia Youth Alliance Forum (OYAF) have lamented the electoral fraud committed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its agents during polling.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through its returning officer, Dr. Ojike Nwankwo had earlier on Sunday morning, March 6, 2016, declared the rerun election inconclusive on the premise of ballot box snatching and other irregularities , only to return in the afternoon to make a volte-face by announcing the PDP candidate, Mr. Mao Ohuabunwa, winner of the rerun poll in very controversial circumstances to the chagrin of observers and other parties that participated in the election.
According to the group, the popularity of the Progressive Peoples’ Alliance (PPA) candidate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu is unmatched and unshakable, adding that the good works of the businessman cum politician during and after his stint as governor of Abia State has continued to earn him enormous goodwill among the people regardless of party affiliations.
In a statement signed, the group’s coordinator, Mazi Anagha Ezikpe, said, “In view of the electoral fraud that marred the last senatorial rerun poll in Abia North, we are constrained to use this medium to condemn in totality the electoral malpractices committed by the PDP.
“We wish to alert the appropriate authorities to ensure that the culprits of these undemocratic acts are made to face the wrath of the law especially the PDP thugs who were in possession of thumb printed ballot papers and arrested by the police in Nkporo and Abam in Ohafia and Arochukwu local governments respectively.
“In spite of the people’s desire to vote for the PPA candidate, the Abia State government deployed top government officials to the various local governments in the senatorial region to intimidate voters”.
While saluting the courage and professional ethics of the three- man appellate panel headed by Justice I.G Mbaba sitting in Owerri that nullified the March 28, 2015 Senatorial poll in Abia North, Ezikpe called on the members of the tribunal sitting in Umuahia to be wary of the PDP’s antics of bribery and blackmail, noting that justice can only be delayed but cannot be denied.