• Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Abia government calls for caution as PDP, LP trade verbal tackles

Civil society groups urge INEC to explain ‘step aside’ order on Abia REC

The Government of Abia State cautioned political parties in the state to be careful not to incite their members to take irrational actions.

In a statement released by Eze Chikamnayo, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, government said it had
“observed with dismay an attempt by unscrupulous politicians especially Alex Otti and his Labour Party to hijack the official functions of the Independent National Electoral Commission and arrogate to themselves the illegal role of self-appointed umpires in an election in which they are mere participants.”

It further said: “We have also observed that Mr. Alex Otti ‘s Strategy is to turn around and accuse other political parties of the criminalities being perpetrated by the Abia Labour Party and it’s agents as a decoy to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.

“For example, in various locations across the state, the glaringly desperare Mr Alex Otti used massive military apparatus to oppress and subjugate agents of other political parties and churn out fake results and outrageous figures.

Read also: Peter Obi commiserates with victims of March 18 elections

“Interestingly, hours before the collation of results even began in various Local Governments, Mr Alex Otti and his media agents were already planting and publishing fake results using unprofessional and conniving with national television outlets and social media platforms. This flagrant disregard for the electoral laws, the Constitutional provisions and decency which has now become a trademark of desperare Mr Alex Otti is a preemptive tactics with very devilish underlying motives .

“The Security Agencies are hereby put on red alert as Government has uncovered very credible information that Mr Alex Otti is actively plotting to attack Government Establishments, INEC Offices and other Government Officials and their families in the style of the despicable Invasion of the United States Parliament by a defeated Presidential Candidate.”

The statement also added that the Abia State Government was duty bound to protect the lives and property of it’s citizens and would not leave any stone unturned in this regard.

“All well meaning Abians are urged to remain peaceful and allow the INEC to peacefullly conclude it’s Constitutional duties. We must all arise and resist the brigandage of Mr Alex Otti and his paid Agents in the interest of peace and prosperity of our dear state,” it further said.

It would be recalled that supporters of Otti, governorship candidate of the LP and those of Okey Ahiwe, candidate of the PDP in the March 18th gubernatorial election, had taken to the social media to claim winner of the election as soon as the exercise ended Saturday.
There were allegations of voter suppression and manipulation levelled by the LP candidate. Some of his supporters also alleged that the results were being doctored in a hotel in the state.