Gov Orji, PDP officials disrupt results announcement in Abia

The collation of the governorship and House of Assembly results in Abia state was halted on Sunday when the state Governor, Theodore Orji, invaded the collation center of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters Umuahia.

The Governor arrived the collation center at about 1.48pm shortly after the Returning Officer, and Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria (UNN), Professor Benjamin Ozumba, announced the cancellation of result of three local government areas because of irregularities.

The three local government areas include Obingwa, Osisioma and Isiala Ngwa North.

The Governor walked up to the table where the officers were sitting and then left the collation point with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Selina Oko. A while later, the PDP chieftains including, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Dr Eme Okoro, Chuku Wachuku, Minister of State for Defence, Col Austin Akobundu, among others, also invaded the collation center where the PDP secretary, Charles Esonu, threatened the returning officer should he continue with the announcement of the results.

The returning officer also left the collation point and went into the INEC office. He came out after a while and declared that the earlier cancelled local government results were going to be announced. This drew the protest of the APC agent, Chibuihe Onyemechi, who walked out of the center in protest.

 But the APGA agent, Ahamdi Nweke, remained behind to condemn the reversal, saying that it was obvious that elections did not take place in Osisioma. At that point one of the observers from the European Union Election Observation Mission testified before the collation officers that election at Osisioma was marred by irregularities, corroborating that there was no election there.

Before the Governor came to disrupt the process, the PDP national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh came in and was introduced by the PDP agent, Solomon Ogunji. Thereafter the whole INEC premises were invaded by PDP and government officials.

After announcing the result of Osisioma the PDP overtook APGA which was leading by 104,776 to 85234. This generated protest from the APGA party agent by the RO insisted that the whole result would announce. At the time filing this report result of 12 local governments had been announced while five were being awaited.