Rescheduled Polls: APC South East Leaders Warn INEC, Army Against Rigging

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Politics Thursday, April 16th, 2015

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu – South East zonal Chairmen of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) have warned the Army and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against rigging of the rescheduled Governorship and House of Assembly elections in some states within the zone.

They argued that the act of impunity by the army in the southeast during the general elections was disturbing.

Briefing newsmen Wednesday in Enugu after their meeting, the chairmen vowed to use the last drop of their blood to defend the electorate votes in the rescheduled polls in Imo, Ebonyi and Abia states.

Enugu state chairman of APC, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who spoke on behalf of others, warned that they “we would resist any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the rescheduled elections and results released in favour of the party”.

He advised those with the intention to manipulate the results to retrace their steps, threatening that anybody including INEC officials and officers and soldiers who attempted to manipulate the results of the elections in Imo State and other areas in the South East where elections were declared inconclusive would be prosecuted when the APC takes over the leadership of the country.

Nwoye expressed regret that there was massive rigging against the APC Presidential candidate and President – Elect, General Mohammadu Buhari during the last Presidential election in the South East, insisting that result of the election in the zone did not reflect the wishes of the masses that trooped out enmasse to vote for the APC.

He informed INEC and the army that the opposition party was watching INEC closely to ensure that the massive rigging and other electoral malpractices that happened in some states in the South East would not be repeated in the rescheduled elections.

The Chairmen expressed dismay that despite the fact that the court restrained the army from participating in the electoral process, South East Zone has remained the only zone where army are deployed to intimidate people.

“The court restrained the army from participating in the electoral process but in the South East, they used army to intimidate us in the polling units and environs. We must defend Imo State, we are telling INEC that they are being closely watched.” he stated.

Dr. Nwoye assured that once the APC takes over the leadership of the country, legal process would begin to work, warning those with the intention of anarchy, that come May 29, impunity would cease.

He equally assured the President- Elect that Igbos were solidly with him, saying that Igbos could not afford to be in opposition.

Also speaking, Ebonyi APC Chairman, Ben Nwobasi, accused the PDP of operating a gunpoint democracy in the state.

He raised the alarm that the results of the reschedule remaining constituencies in Ebonyi state have already been prepared, warning that people were ready to challenge any further rigging in the area.

Present at the briefing were, Chairmen of Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra and Enugu state, while the Imo state chairman, Dr. Hillary Eke, was absent as he was said to be attending to pressing assignment.