Abia: N’Assembly, presidential elections present different scenarios

Though the National Assembly and presidential elections have been won and lost, SIMON UTEBOR writes that the opposition parties in Abia State are still bickering over the outcome of the elections.

Before the National Assembly elections penultimate Saturday, Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, was unsettled. His troubles were legion. He had the challenge of bringing the Peoples Democratic Party to the mainstream of Abia politics; that of demystifying his immediate predecessor, Chief Orji Kalu, and uniting the factions within the PDP, among others.

As a last minute effort to redeem his image and to boost the performances of the PDP candidates in the poll, he had to strike a deal with some aggrieved members of the party including the factional governorship candidate of the PDP, Ikechi Emenike, and many others.

Also, to boost his party’s chances, Orji appointed no fewer than 600 special assistants and advisers in February cutting across communities and constituencies to galvanise grassroots support for the PDP.

Expectedly, the efforts paid off in the election, as the PDP candidates had a clean sweep in the senatorial and House of Representatives election.

With the pyrrhic victories of the PDP in the election, political observers believe that the government has succeeded in demystifying Kalu’s dynasty.

However, the outcome of the National Assembly election has been greeted with acerbic reactions by the opposition parties who claim that the election was manipulated by the PDP and that in some constituencies, voters were intimidated by security agents in active collaboration with the PDP agents.

On election day, reports from Abia South and North constituencies, revealed allegations of ballot box snatching and intimidation of the electorate.

In Umunneochi area, a Progressive Peoples Alliance agent, Chukwumerije Dickson, alleged that at Ezigodo, Umuada Town, a lawmaker, Nkeiru Onyejeocha, came to the polling booth with many thugs in three buses.

She was alleged to have given instructions in the hall that nobody should vote for any party except the PDP.

Dickson said that when the thugs stormed the place, they asked him to leave but because he refused, he was beaten to a stupor.

“When I was revived by sympathisers, I could not go back there. Their intention was to kill,” he alleged.

But Onyejeocha said it was a lie, noting that the security agents were on ground and that the incident did not occur.

She said, “It is a lie. They are serious blackmailers.

“Initially, people were protesting because of late accreditation. After about 12.30pm, those who could not be accredited became agitated. I saw a person who was being beaten and I drew the attention of the security agents so they could control the situation.”

In Ugbunagbo Constituency in Abia South, the PPA governorship candidate, Chris Akomas, accused a PDP agent of taking away result sheets from Wards 7 and 8, while soldiers allegedly chased away voters.

He also alleged that the agent carried away election materials in Ward 4, Units 6, 7 and 8.

In Ania Ward in Ohafia, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the state, Mr. Umeh Kalu, was accused of using security agents to prevent non-supporters of the PDP from voting.

Kalu, however, denied the allegation, saying he was neither in control of the army nor police.

In Obingwa in Abia South, alleged attempt by people suspected to be PDP agents to substitute National Youths Service Corps members with their people triggered violence as youths in the area protested.

Also, former governor, Kalu, who spoke shortly after he voted at Onuibina Igbere polling booth, protested the massive arrest of his agents and supporters.

He said, “In Umunn ochi and Ohafia, there are no result sheets. INEC should allow people to exercise their franchise. People cannot continue to write results at home. It is unacceptable.

“Imagine, a serving senator stabbed someone with a knife. This is not politics; it is thuggery.”

The PPA, Action Congress of Nigeria, the All Progressives Grand Alliance and other opposition parties in Abia State have called for the cancellation of the National Assembly poll in the state

In a petition to the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Austin Okojie, entitled, “Petition to cancel the NASS elections in Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, Osisioma and Ikwuano,” the parties alleged the election was a charade.

The petititon signed by Dr. Max Nduaguibe; Dr. Damian Ozurumba; Donatus Nwakpa; Chief Kevin Ugboajah, and Chidi Ogbulafor demanded total cancellation of the election in the affected constituencies.

“We the candidates in the National Assembly elections hereby notify you of the monumental flaws in the election results and the total absence of result sheets in the majority of the aforesaid polling units. We demand total cancellation of the election in those areas,” the petition said.

Despite the protests and calls for rejection of results, Orji has given the election a pass mark, adding that it was conducted in a free and fair atmosphere.

He expressed satisfaction with the PDP’s performance, calling on the people of Abia for a repeat performance in the governorship election next Tuesday.

He said the PDP in the state was willing to receive any member ready to defect to it, stressing that it was a big umbrella that could accommodate all.

He said, “The voices and actions of Abia people in last Saturday’s election had demonstrated your commitments to the total liberation of state from the clutches of impunity.