Following the announcement of results in Imo and Kogi states which gave victory to All Progressive Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party on Sunday cried foul as Governor Hope Uzodimma, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, was declared the winner of Saturday’s governorship poll in Imo State by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Uzodinma was declared winner having won in all the 27 local government areas of the state.
The governor clinched a second term in office after scoring a total of 540, 008 votes, the commission stated.
In Kogi, the candidate of the APC, Usman Ododo, was declared winner of the election with 446,237 votes.
Announcing the result late Sunday night, the state Returning Officer, Prof Johnson Urama, said Ododo was closely followed by the Social Democratic Party candidate, Muri Ajaka, who scored 259, 052 votes.
Dino Melaye of the PDP finished a distant third with 46,362 votes; Leke Bejide of the African Democratic Party, 21,891; and Adejo Okeme of the LP 567.
The total number of registered voters was 1,932,474, and accredited voters numbered 794,500.
The commission said 9,601 votes were rejected out of the 791,890 total votes cast.
In Bayelsa State, the INEC said the results from Brass and Southern Ijaw local government Areas of Bayelsa would be announced on Monday (today).
The Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity INEC office, Yenagoa, Mr Wilfred Ifogah, said on Sunday while addressing prty agents that the collation of results would continue today.
Announcing Uzodimma’s victory, the Imo State Returning Officer for the election, Prof Abayomi Fasina, who is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oye, Ekiti State, disclosed that Samuel Anyanwu of the PDP got 71, 503 votes while the Labour Party candidate, Athan Aconu, garnered 64, 081 votes.
The PDP and LP have since called for a total cancellation of the exercise.
They alleged that the security agents connived with INEC staff to allow members of the APC to rig the election.
Addressing journalists at a press conference, Anyanwu, while demanding the nullification of the election, said INEC and the security agents failed in their constitutional responsibility to deliver a credible election to the people of the state.
The LP candidate, Achonu, on his part vowed to seek redress at the election tribunal.
Addressing journalists in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state on Sunday, he alleged that the election was “marred by irregularities, including vote-buying and physical assaults of LP agents, and thus deserving of outright cancellation.”
He further alleged that voting in many locations was done without the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System accreditation, contrary to the assurances by INEC before the election.
Achonu also alleged compromise on the part of the security personnel, adding that “recorded evidence abound such as that of a police officer who voters beat for attempting to snatch a ballot box.”
He commended the LP supporters for their steadfastness in the face of provocation and assured them that they would get justice at the courts.
He stated, “Our democracy was raped in the full glare of security personnel, whose salaries we pay from our commonwealth.
“Collation was suddenly moved from the ward to LG centres, and only APC agents were allowed to enter, while agents of other parties were locked out.
“And to you, my supporters, thank you for your doggedness and steadfastness; you fought hard, and I am proud of you all.
“I have not lost hope in the judiciary; there are so many men of integrity therein, and we shall reclaim our mandate.”
He condemned the assault and detention of the LP Chairman in the state, Mr Callistus Ihejiagwa, at the state collation centre and called for the immediate arrest of those who manhandled him.
