Its no news that Abia state has gotten really messy after the elections
were declared inconclusive,political thugs have taken to the streets
with machetes and coffins, threatening masses to vote for particular
candidates or be killed.The contending candidates are All Progressive Grand Alliance ,Dr. Allex Otti and Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu..In an interview with Punch, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Abia State, Professor Selina Oko,has alleged her life is being threatened..
Are you under any threat from any quarters?
Yes, I have been getting calls threatening my life. I have been getting text messages about how they will shoot me through the window of my car.Have you reported the threats to the security agencies?
Yes, I have. I told them that my life is being threatened.The governorship candidate of the PDP,Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, alleged that his All Progressive Grand Alliance counterpart, Dr. Allex Otti, induced you with a whopping N300 million?
Tell him to produce evidence. Since he even knows the amount, it means he has evidence. So, let him produce it. And he should know that when you know of a crime and you don’t report it you are also committing a crime. He is committing a crime for not reporting it to the police. He is supposed to report to the police and not to level wild allegation in the media. He is supposed to report it to law enforcement officers and he has not done so. So he is committing a crime.He also alleged that you are Otti’s aunt. Is that true?
He is a liar. He does not know me. I did not know Otti until I came to Abia. I think Otti is from Abia. I am from Afikpo in Ebonyi State. He should go to Afikpo and trace my linage and see whether there is any link at all between me and Otti. I have never known Otti until this time. They are cooking up stories just to whip up sentiments. Besides if I am Otti’s aunt why should I then collect N300 million from him? One of such people whose allegation I read in black and white is the so-called National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh. He said I am related to Otti. How can somebody at his level get information and not bother to verify it? All he did was to rush to the media and put it in black and white. There is something wrong with him. He is not fit to be a leader.They said you are compromised.
Let them produce evidence. You don’t just say one is compromised. You produce evidence to support the allegation.But has any politician or political party at all attempted to bribe you?
How can you ask me that type of question? You know politicians and when I answer, they will say tell us the person. Please, don’t ask me that type of question.How do you feel about all these especially when you are trying to do your best and nobody seems to be appreciating your efforts?
It is irritating because you bring out your mind to do the work the way it should be done and people are unnecessarily trying to poison the minds of the populace. But I will not be deterred. I will still do what I know is the right thing. The Returning Officer announced that the election was inconclusive. And it was based on facts. The law says when the margin of lead between the highest scorer and the runner-up is smaller than the total number of registered voters in the polling units where election was not done or results were cancelled, there should be a rerun.
Recall that out of the 439,454 total votes cast, PDP scored 248,459 while APGA got 165,406 votes. The 83,053 margin of lead is less than the 175,532 total number of registered voters in the polling units where election did not hold or results were cancelled. That was why the exercise was declared inconclusive by the Returning Officer and the position of the Electoral Act on this is very clear. But PDP has been claiming that its candidate is leading and we failed to declare him winner. That is not the truth.
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