| NEWS
|
National
Metro
Africa
World
Business
|
|
|
| OPINION
|
Editorial
Columnists
Contributors
Letters
Cartoons
Discussions
Outlook
|
|
|
| SPORTS
|
Home
Abroad
Golf Weekly
Results
|
|
|
| FEATURES
|
Focus
Policy & Politics
Arts
Media
Science
Natural Health
Law
Education
Weekend
Friday Review
Executive Briefs
Fashion
Food & Drink
Auto Wheels
Friday Worship
Saturday Magazine
Sunday Magazine
Ibru Ecumenical Centre
Agro Care
|
|
|
|
|
APGA rejects Okigwe by-election result, faults PDP's victory
From Emmanuel Onwubiko, Abuja
FOUR days after a bye-election was held to fill the vacant seat occupied by late Maurice Ibekwe, who represented the Okigwe Federal Constituency in Imo State, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has rejected the result in which the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) candidate was declared winner.
The APGA candidate for the poll was Dr. Godson Offoaro while Chief Mike Ohia stood for the PDP.
APGA, however, did not disclose whether it would be going to court to challenge the result of the polls.
Ibekwe, who was elected on the platform of the PDP, died in prison custody in Lagos while awaiting trial at the Federal High Court for alleged Advanced Fee Advanced (419) offences.
The polls to fill the seat was held on October 24, 2004. The APGA's national chairman Chekwas Okorie, in a protest letter addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleged that the electoral body did not conduct any polls but merely released pre-arranged results where PDP was adjudged winner of the polls.
In the letter, made available to journalists in Abuja, Okorie said "APGA rejects in its totality the purported results of the October 23, 2004, Okigwe-North Federal Constituency bye-election in Imo State. The sham called election has further confirmed that INEC is public nuisance. After the 2003 monumental electoral fraud committed by INEC, Nigerians expected the commission to reverse from the hazardous enterprise of rigging and subservience.
"It is unfortunate that the electoral body is incapable of repentance. It has woefully failed to prove to Nigerians that it can conduct a free, fair and transparent election. It should bother INEC that of the 30 political parties only APGA and PDP fielded candidates for the bye-election. This should have compelled a responsible electoral body to send all its national officials to Okigwe to ensure a hitch-free and fair election."
It described as deplorable the situation where "INEC has traded this golden opportunity to justify its independence and competence. Unfortunately, like an AIDS patient whose ailment is terminal and incurable, INEC went ahead to manipulate last Saturday's bye-election and released false results. We have consistently warned that unless the PDP desperation to remain in power at all costs is checked, the future of democracy will be jeopardised," Okorie added.
He said that "APGA's position is that elections did not take place in Okigwe on October 23, 2004," alleging that INEC officials handed electoral materials to PDP agents 24 hours ahead of the poll.
The APGA chief said, "It is laugtiable for INEC to have allotted 112,247 votes to PDP and assigned 5,712 votes to APGA. We challenge INEC to produce evidence that it accredited 117,959 voters in Okigwe North Federal Constituency on October 23, 2004. We are stunned that INEC could be so pernicious and perfidious in conducting the constituency bye-election".
|
|
|
|
|
| BUSINESS SERVICES
|
Property
Appointments
Money Watch
Market Report
Capital Market
Business Travels
Maritime Watch
Industry Watch
Energy Report
Insurance
Compulife
|
|
|
|
|
