‘Don’t Tamper with Abia and Enugu Governorship Election Results’ – CSO

Independent National Electoral Commission has been issued a warning not to tamper with results of Abia and Enugu governorship elections.

The warning was given by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Intersociety, Nigeria’s leading and uncompromising democracy, human rights, rule of law and citizens’ security and safety advocacy Organization.

Intersociety alleged that the decision of the INEC National Headquarters to suspend the collation of the results involving Nkanu East and Nsukka Local Government Areas in Enugu State and Obingwa Local Government Area in Abia State and look into issues critically raised are pointers to an attempt to to manipulate the entire exercise as usual.

In a press statement issued yesterday, via Whatsapp, the group further warned that any reason adduced by INEC must not be a seized opportunity to subvert the sacred electoral wishes of the People of the two States, insisting that nothing roguish must happen to Enugu and Abia Governorship results.

In the statement jointly signed by its Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi; its Head, Democracy and Good Governance Program, Chinwe Umeche Esq. and its Head, Campaign and Publicity Department, Chidinma Udegbunam Esq., Intersociety

They however noted that while the Collation officers for Abia state, Prof. Nnenna Oti and her Enugu state cpunterpart deserve interim commendation for refusing to compromise their positions in the eyes of law, it is their strong warning that the results of the two Governorship polls must not be tampered with or brutally suppressed.

“Intersociety therefore noted that the task before INEC Headquarters on the issue is very simple: what is the actual number of registered voters/PVC holders (eligible voters) and the number of accredited voters (actual voters) in Nkanu East and Nsukka in Enugu State and Obingwa in Abia State?

“Flowing from the above, how many accredited voters voted and were they greater or lesser in number than the number of registered/accredited voters? In other words: is it correct to say that the 30,000 votes padded and added in Nkanu East were greater or lesser than the number of its registered/PVC holders/accredited voters?”

“In Obingwa, Abia State, is it also correct to say that the 72,000 votes being smuggled in were greater or lesser in number than the number of registered/PVC holders/accredited voters?, adding, INEC must resist attempts to smuggle In magic results In Nkanu East and Obingwa”.

“Intersociety has investigated and found out that the real issues in contention and at the center of controversy involving Nkanu East (Enugu) and Obingwa (Abia) Governorship results’ conundrum are desperate attempts by gubernatorial incumbents in Enugu and Abia to smuggle in magic results into the main results so as to outnumber and corner the majority results to their favored Governorship Candidates”.

“This is more so when the manufactured results are strongly believed to be far above the total registered or accredited voters with PVCs in Nkanu East, Enugu State and Obingwa, Abia State. There was also a counter accusation by Enugu Government incumbents that the results of Nsukka Local Government Area were awarded or manufactured for Labor Party Candidate to the tune of 30,000 votes as against 10,000 given to PDP Candidate, leading to alleged retaliation by the Enugu Government incumbents awarding 30,000 votes to their preferred Candidate in Nkanu East Local Government Area”.

“It is instructive to note that Nsukka Local Government Area is a cosmopolitan and most populated LGA in Enugu State, if not in the South-East. It is also one of the largest recipients of the monthly federated revenue allocations. Nkanu East, on its part, is a small rural area mostly populated by sedentary inhabitants; with a striking portion of its rural dwellers displaced by jihadist activities of the Fulani Herdsmen”.

“It was further discovered that the 30,000 magic votes in Nkanu East constitutes more than half of its 15, 000 registered PVC/accredited voters. In Obingwa, Abia State, the 72,000 magic votes being smuggled in constitutes three times higher than its 23,000 PVC holders/accredited voters”.