Facts have emerged as to how a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain made unsuccessful efforts to compromise officials of the Independent National Electo
Facts have emerged as to how a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain made unsuccessful efforts to compromise officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State to alter election results in favour of the party.
This was revealed by a senior INEC official at the collation centre.
The governorship and State House elections held on Saturday across the country.
In Abia, the battle was majorly between the Labour Party candidate, Alex Otti and the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Okechukwu Ahiwe.
Ahiwe is the anointed candidate and former Chief of Staff of the incumbent governor of Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu.
Arochukwu LGA is a stronghold of the LP candidate and he had boasted of sacking the PDP that has dominated the state since 1999.
The results for the LGA was called at 7:13 am on Sunday.
The LP won the LGA with 12,689 votes while the PDP came second with 1,280 votes.
According to The Whistler, the INEC official who craved anonymity said that a chieftain of the PDP who was present through out the collation exercise in Arochukwu made several attempts to compromise him and some staff.
He alleged, “The PDP Chieftain called me out seeking for help to deliver the LGA for the PDP. He even asked me to name a price which I turned down.
“He told me that he was ready to pay $100,000 if we can alter the result to favour his party.”
At the collation center in Obingwa LGA, thugs invaded it after governor Ikpeazu, who is from the LGA stormed the venue with the Abia Commissioner of Police and his supporters.
INEC in a tweet on Sunday afternoon, said: “Thugs have invaded our Obingwa Local Government Area office in Abia State. Security agencies have been alerted. The Commission is monitoring the situation and will issue a statement shortly.”
The collation exercise was transfered to Umuahia state collation office on the order of the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakub.
Similarly, a frontline civic hub, Yiaga Africa, disclosed that its observers reported alleged manipulation of governorship election results by the agents of the in Obingwa LGA.
