All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Abia state chapter has accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being behind the burning of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) new office at Umuikaa, Isiala Ngwa South on Sunday.
The party also alleged that the PDP’s resort to arson was done to pave way for it to rig the forthcoming general elections.
The claims were made by the Alex Otti Campaign Organization, whose Director General, Dr Max Nduaguibe, said the act was one of the tricks of the PDP to manipulate election results.
The organization said that the party has no doubt that the fire incident was no coincidence as it occurred barely two days after APGA held a successive rally attended by mammoth crowd.
“It is beyond coincidence that the willful destruction of INEC office happened barely two days after the massive turn out of our supporters at the Isiala Ngwa North and South campaign rallies addressed by Dr Otti and other APGA candidates”.
Nduaguibe recalled that in 2015 the same INEC office located within the premises of Isiala Ngwa South council area in Umuoba was burnt during the governorship and state house of assembly elections when an APGA candidate was leading.
“This same ugly incident was repeated in Obingwa during the governorship tribunal case instituted by our principal, Dr Otti, as thugs acting on the instructions of those in authority burnt down the Obingwa INEC office less than 24 hours the tribunal gave an order for INEC to tender materials used in the election for forensic examination”.
“We can see a consistent pattern and we are not in doubt about the identity of the arsonists as their action is one of the panic responses to the massive turn out of people at the Isiala Ngwa North and South rallies by Dr Otti and APGA two days earlier”.
“We are aware that INEC had been operating from the old office inside the council headquarters until few days ago when it was relocated to the new office which the PDP resisted but for the intervention of armed military men who were brought in by INEC”.
“This arson is planned to force the INEC to once more relocate their office back to the council headquarters at Umuoba which is controlled by the PDP which will in turn enable them to rig the elections”.
