The campaign organization of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Aboh Mbaise local government area, in Imo State, Princewill Amuchie, has accused the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) of robbery, electoral manipulation and violence at the just concluded State Assembly elections.
The campaign organization also pointed accusing fingers at the duo of Hon. Eddie Obinna and Chinasa Nwaneri, and the Chief Security Officer to the State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, of masterminding the alleged theft of the people’s mandate
A statement by the Director General of the Civil Society Organization (CSO), Next Door Campaign, Barr. Anayo Aham, equally called on President Muhammadu Buhari, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), to wade in the controversy with a view to protecting the local government’s mandate.
The statement reads; “It is over 15 hours since a battalion of weird, fierce and daredevil security men, with armored tanks and a barrack of Police officers with Armored Personnel Carriers (APC), acting on the instruction of Hon. Chinasa Nwaneri (SA to the Imo State Governor on Domestic Matters) and SP Shaba, (Chief Security Officer to the Governor) stormed INEC Office at Aboh Mbaise by 2: 00 am on (March 19, 2023) and hijacked the results of the undeclared 25 Polling Units of the 12 Electoral Wards of the Local Government, in a Gestapo manner and shot severally into the air.
“It is noteworthy to inform President Muhammad Buhari, the President of Nigeria Commander of the Armed Forces, Major General Babagana Monguno, the National Security Adviser, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman and indeed all Nigerians that the reason why Chinasa Nwaneri and SP Shaba militarized Aboh Mbaise election was to rob the people of Aboh Mbaise the mandate which they freely gave to Princewill Amuchie.
“However, we make bold to say that such daylight robbery will not stand; not now, not in the future.
“The election at Aboh Mbaise State Constituency was conducted peacefully in the twelve Wards (12) and Princewill Amuchie of the PDP won peacefully. About eighty percent (80%) of the results have been uploaded in the IREV.
“In line with the Electoral Act 2022, as amended, the uploaded results tallies with the number of accredited voters as captured by the BVAS. Again, the results were concluded and written at the Polling Units in conformity with the Form EC 8 Series protocol.
“Afterwards, we proceeded to the INEC office in Aboh Mbaise where INEC has chosen as the Collation Center for all the Local Government.
“Hon. Eddie Obinna of the APC made attempts to manipulate the Collation process, but our party agents vehemently resisted it.
“When they were not having their way, Hon. Eddie Obinna’s media aide reached out to Mr. Chinasa Nwaneri, (the SA to the Governor on Domestic Affairs) who promptly instructed the Chief Security Officer to the Governor popularly known as Shaba, a Superintendent of Police, to head to Aboh Mbaise.
SP. Shaba arrived at INEC office Aboh Mbaise with about 15 Hilux Vans and 3 Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) to the Aboh Mbaise Collation Centre and hijacked the electoral materials.
“They arrived in a Commando and Gestapo manner, started shooting in the air to scare people away. Some people ran for their dear lives, when they saw that my Party Agent Hon. Mike Iheanetu was not scared by their incessant and senseless shooting, SP. Shaba personally ordered one of the boys to molest and arrest Hon. Mike Iheanetu acted like a common criminal and bundled him out of the venue.
“Having arrested him they immediately carted away with all the materials being used by INEC staff for collation to an unknown destination. Regrettably, this show of shame and unprovoked display of military force is to declare Eddie Obinna as winner, eventually.
“Pertinently, it should be noted that by the time SP. Shaba and his men came to the INEC office, out of 12 Wards in Aboh Mbaise the results of Five Wards (5) had been declared remaining about Seven (7); and Mr. Amuchie was leading CLEARLY.
“Also out of the Two Hundred and Eight Polling Units (208), where elections were conducted, results of One Hundred and Eighty Three Polling Units (183) had been uploaded in the IREV and viewed by the general public.
“Curiously, some of the Polling Unit results that were manufactured by SP Shaba and his cronies do not conform to what had already been uploaded in the IREV.
“It is on good record that the remaining Twenty Five (25) Polling Units where the results have not been uploaded were taken away and written elsewhere.
*Shamelessly, it is this fabricated result that INEC has gone on to announce. Let it be known that what the Commission has not right to select someone that Ndi Aboh do not want to represent them at the State House of Assembly.
“Aboh Mbaise people are revered and venerated for their respect to the will of the people. It is a total disrespect to us and to what we represent that our collective DECISION WOULD be thus violated and desecrated.
From all the results sheets available to us, Princewill won his closest rival Hon. Eddie Obinna in Eleven Wards (11) out of the Twelve Wards (12) that make up Aboh Mbaise.”
The statement further warned against the declaration of Obinna as the winner of the election, stating that it is designed to stir the crisis in Aboh Mbaise.
This is even as it assured that it will continue to pursue “every legal and peaceful means to reclaim our mandate”, while urging supporters “to remain calm and meditative as we go through this phase.”
