Abia PDP counters INEC, says no attack on the commission’s office anywhere in the the state

The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party {PDP} has said contrary to a statement by the Independent National Electoral Commission {INEC}, there was no attack on the office of the commission in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state.

The PDP made the denial in a statement by its Agent-in-Chief for the 2023 Governorship Election, Charles Eseonu, adding that the INEC statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information And Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, was not true as no such thing happened.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State has been drawn to a press statement released by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information And Voter Education Committee of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Festus Okoye, in Abuja yesterday, which stated that the Obingwa Local Government Area office of the Commission in Abia State was attacked by thugs during the collation of results for the Governorship and State Assembly elections of 18th March 2023.

“While we find such claims strange, we wish to set the records straight and state as follows: that there was no recorded act of violence in Obingwa LGA of Abia State before, during and after the election of March 18, 2023.

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“That party agents at Obingwa collation centre only ensured that INEC’s directive that results must be announced at units, collated at ward then local government levels and result sheets issued to agents be complied with.

“We were shocked that INEC is attempting to bypass her own recommended process and even falsely released a statement to members of the public to achieve that.

“Youths of Obingwa should rather be commended for insisting that INEC followed her own guideline as previously stated by Festus Okoye and other national officials.

“It is important to note that the results of the same election from Umuahia South LGA, which were taken to INEC headquarters for collation changed dramatically along the way in favour of one of the parties involved in the election.

“We, therefore, implore INEC to do the right thing by not raising false alarms but to announce the results as collated in Obingwa.”

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