League of Ohuhu eminent sons urge INEC to declare Otti winner of Abia governorship election

The League of Ohuhu Eminent Sons, Abia State, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the candidate of Labour Party, Dr Alex Otti, as the winner of last Saturday’s gubernatorial election in the state.

In a statement, on Tuesday, the association tasked “INEC to quickly do the needful by declaring Dr. Otti duly elected governor of Abia, God’s Own State, to avoid the predictable consequences of the gathering cloud in the state.”

The statement titled: “Abia 2023 Governorship Results and the Contrived Stalement,” signed by Barr. Chuks Akamadu (Convener); Chief Eboh Duke Ihekwereme (Chairman); H/Chief Victor Ikeji (Secretary) and Dr. Emeka Nwosu (Chair, Publicity C’ttee), posited that results have been received from 16 out of the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State, remaining Obingwa where the ruling PDP in Abia State is allegedly seeking to push through fictitious votes in it’s favour to illegally wipe the unassailable lead by Dr. Otti.

The statement read in part: “We understand that the INEC Headquarters in Abuja has reportedly directed that all the parties in Abia Governorship elections should proceed to Abuja this morning where the final decision on the outcome of the election would be taken. This development overrides the earlier decision in which the same INEC had directed some of its National Commissioners to come to Abia today to review the contentious and fictitious Obingwa results.

“It is important to note that results have been received from 16 out of the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State, remaining Obingwa where the ruling PDP in Abia State is seeking to push through fictitious votes in it’s favour to illegally wipe the unassailable lead by Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party. Out of the results officially declared by INEC, PDP won only in 5 LGAs while the Labour Party won in 10 with YPP winning in one LGA. Our question is: Why is it taking INEC this long to take a simple decision of proclaiming Dr. Alex Otti winner after his overwhelming victories in all parts of Abia State?

“The current stalemate is contrived, and it is the bounden duty of INEC to ensure that the expressed will of the people of Abia in this election is respected. The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, and his team in Abuja should not do anything that would subvert the will of the people of Abia State. The mandate given to Dr. Otti must stand. Anything to the contrary should not be contemplated at all. Otherwise, Abians may have no option but to take to the streets to stop PDP from stealing the mandate freely given to Dr. Otti.

“We therefore wish to task INEC to quickly do the needful by declaring Dr. Otti duly elected governor of Abia, God’s Own State, to avoid the predictable consequences of the gathering cloud in the state.”