All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Abia state governorship candidate, Dr Alex Otti, has asked the Abia Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to annul the election result alleging that it was marred by irregularities.
According to Otti, the election held on March 9 was not free, fair and transparent and particularly asked for the cancellation of results in 15 local government areas of the state as well as 788 polling units in the state.
The candidate made this request through a petition filed by his counsel before the tribunal sitting in Umuahia.
A statement issued by Dr Alex Otti campaign Organisation director of media and publicity Kazie Uko, said that a 3-man legal team is led by Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; A.J. Owonikoko, Esq. SAN; and Kenneth Ahia, SAN.
Otti wants the tribunal to jettison the official results declared by INEC in favour of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu and PDP as the winners of the elections. He equally wants the tribunal to declare the elections null and void.
The petitioner strongly believes based on the “plethora of tenable evidences in his custody, the March 9, 2019 governorship polls were technically inconclusive, abysmally compromised; and deliberately vitiated.
“In the end, these alleged defects and acts of infractions/violations affected the purported outcome of the results declared by INEC.”
Dr Otti and the APGA specifically faulted the electoral processes and the alleged compromised outcome in 788 polling units, 143 electoral wards, and 15 LGAs in Abia State.
The petitioner also questioned the credibility and integrity of the collations processes of the results, particularly in 15 LGAs and stating that there were other shortcomings which should not be ignored.
In these contexts, the petitioner apparently expressed concerns over issues of perceived abuse of the electoral procedures and processes.
The 15 LGAs with alleged disputed results are: Aba North, Bende, Isiala Ngwa North and South, Isuikwuato, Obi Ngwa, Ohafia, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East and West, Umunneochi, Umuahia North and South.
When contacted, the PDP publicity secretary, Sir Don Ubani dismissed the claim saying that the PDP won the said election and would continue to win even if it is conducted 100 times because of the peculiar nature of the state.
