APGA, AA vow to challenge Mbah’s victory in Enugu guber poll

The Enugu State chapters of the
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Action Alliance (AA), have rejected the result of the March 18 governorship election and the declaration of Barr. Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The State Chairman of AA, Ogbonna Festus Okafor, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, said the party had rejected the outcome of the polls in its entirety and will challenge the victory at the state election tribunal.

Okafor whose party candidate in the election, Barr. Ogbe Daniel was one of the defeated candidates, said his party was not satisfied with the electoral process, including what he called the “dramatic announcement of Barr. Peter Mbah of the PDP as the winner.”

“The process that threw Peter Mbah up as the winner of the election is flawed; there are obvious irregularities that cannot be swept under the carpet,” Okafor said.

“Our agents and other independent observers reported that there was wild scale rigging, ballot box snatching, thuggery, intimidation of opposition political parties during the polls.

“We also find it curious that despite over-voting in many polling units, the INEC went ahead to announce Peter Mbah as a winner without reviewing the date in its IREV and BVAS.

“Having said this, the Action Alliance rejects the dramatic announcement of Peter Mbah of the PDP as the winner of the election.

“We had asked the returning officer to explain how the commission got the over 16, 000 votes allocated to Peter Mbah from Nkanu East, but it never offered that explanation.”

Read also:PDP’s Mbah wins Enugu governorship election

Similarly, the governorship candidate of the APGA, Frank Nweke, also said in a statement that he rejected the declaration of Mbah as the winner of the election.

Nweke who came third behind Mbah and Labour Party (LP) candidate, Barr. Chijioke Edeoga. said the exercise was fraught with irregularities.

Describing the election as an assault on democracy, Nweke said he would explore all legal means to ensure that a legitimate government is put in place in the state.

Nweke also accused both the PDP and LP of engaging in vote-buying the elections, alleging that votes were bought for as low as N2,000 and a plate of rice, adding that the election witnessed a multitude of infringements on the people’s democratic process democratic and an assault on their desires and hope for a great state.

“The entire process, down to the declaration of its winner, is a complete farce and will lack legitimacy for as long as it stands.”

“It does seem that the numbers were simply manufactured to fit a preprogrammed outcome and read out to the public, as can be inferred from the Returning Officer of INEC in the state, Prof Maduebibisi Iwe’s comments about acting under authority and reading out what he had been given.

“I am utterly disappointed with the manner in which the Independent National Electoral Commission handled the 2023 elections. I am also saddened by the actions of some members of our security agencies.

“I feel ashamed that this is what our people are worth to some who seek to lead them.”

“I have no problem losing an election to the will of the people. But when this will has been subverted, we have no choice but to review the entire process and the outcome.

“We will explore and exhaust every action required to ensure the legitimacy of the next government in Enugu State. You cannot hold accountable something that was acquired by illegitimate means,” he vowed.”

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