A group of observers who participated in the February 23 National Assembly election in Imo state, Women Fest For Better Life Living Initiative, has said the Returning Officer in the election, Prof Innocent Ibeawuchi, was not under any duress when he declared the result of the election.
Ibeawuchi had while declaring Governor Rochas Okorocha as the winner of the election, said that he was doing so under duress.
But addressing newsmen in Owerri on Monday, the group’s leader, Emmanuel Azuike, said that the group monitored the election from voting, collation to announcement of results adding that at no time was the returning officer’s life in danger.
He threatened to drag the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court for withholding the Certificate of Return of Imo West senator-elect, Okorocha.
The group said that INEC had no powers to withhold a Certificate of Return of any candidate who had won an election.
Azuike said that the electoral umpire was playing to the gallery by refusing to obey the law.
He said “We were observers at Imo West senatorial election and we observed that the election and the entire processes were peaceful and credible.
“We were also at the collation centre at Orlu INEC office where the election results were received and we saw that Rochas Okorocha won with a wide margin and the Retuning Officer, Prof Innocent Ibeabuchi declared him winner.
“The Retuning Officer, Ibeawuchi was not under any form of duress to announce the results whatsoever, not at gun point, knife point or any form of harassment.
“All security Agencies, police, DSS, Army were there for the protection of the Returning Officer, and everybody was present in the collation room.
“For him to say he was under duress was a big lie and deceit of the highest order.”
The group urged INEC to issue Rochas Okorocha his Certificate of Return as senator-elect of Imo West senatorial zone or face legal action.
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