The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been accused of announcing a wrong result for the Imo North Senatorial rerun election that took place on Saturday, July 23, 2016.
INEC had declared Imo candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, as winner, but the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says it totally disagrees with the announcement.
The Party in a statement on Thursday, July 28, 2016 by its spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said the result announced by the INEC Returning Officer in the State before declaring it inconclusive, was false and unfounded.
“We had earlier warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Imo state to remain an unbiased umpire and maintain neutrality in all elections in Nigeria but we were taken aback by the result announced by the Returning Officer in Imo State which was completely false compared to the polling-unit by polling-unit collation done by our Party agents and certified by INEC officials during the Re-run election,” Prince Adeyeye said.
The Party has written the INEC Chairman and presented Certified True Copies of the undeclared unit-by-unit results as collated during the polls insisting that what INEC declared was untrue and does not reflect the true position of the outcome of the Election.
“We wish to call on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to immediately address the injustice done to our Party and our Candidate, Athan Achonu and declare him Winner of the Imo North Re-run Election. With available results as certified by INEC Collation Centres at various levels in Imo North Senatorial District, PDP’s Candidate is leading the APC with over 6,000 votes and Won 5 out of the 6 Local Government Areas in the Senatorial District.”
The PDP released the Certified True Copy of the overall result as collated at the Zonal Collation Centre to back up its claim.
The PDP submitted that it believes that since the bye-election was holding today, Thursday, 28 July, 2016 in Imo State and collation still ongoing, INEC has no excuse but to declare the authentic result as collated and certified.
Concluding, Prince Adeyeye urged its members, teaming supporters and the electorates of the PDP in Imo North Senatorial District and Imo State in general to remain calm and law abiding while the Party awaits final decision from INEC.
