APGA urges Abia Returning Officer to insist on cancellation of results

National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, has rejected the decision of the Abia State Returning Officer, Professor Benjamin Ozumba, to withdraw his earlier cancellation of results in three local councils in last Saturday’s governorship election.

Ozumba had, on Monday, announced the cancellation, saying of which Umeh the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officer has no reason to rescind.

Addressing a press conference at the campaign office of the APGA guber candidate, Dr Alex Otti, Umeh said that the RO rightly cancelled the said results of three local councils — Osisioma Ngwa, Obingwa and Isiala Ngwa North — and urged him to sustain the cancellation.

Umeh said his party was very sad to condemn what happened during the governorship and state assembly election, which, according to him, his party won.

He wondered why the RO recanted his earlier decision after the state PDP Leader and some of the party’s top officials and members visited the collation center at the state INEC office in Umuahia and allegedly held discussion with the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Selina Oko, and the RO.

The RO had, on Monday, announced all the results of the 17 LGAs, including those of the three local governments that were cancelled.
But Umeh, who described the election as fraudulent and against the provisions of the INEC rules, said that his party has the evidence to prove its claims.