Uko Nkole, member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency in the House of Representatives and aspirant for Abia-North senatorial zone, said the primary election conducted by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the district was inconclusive.
Nkole alleged that election materials for the primary poll were hijacked by Mao Ohuabunwa, a former senator for the district and his co-aspirant and Godwin Ndom, returning officer for the shadow election.
The lawmaker in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists called on the PDP to do the needful by rescheduling the primary election at the earliest possible date so as to conclude the process.
He said: “I place it on record unequivocally that the Abia North Senatorial Zone Primary election of the PDP, held on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 was inconclusive as the election materials were hijacked by Mao Ohuabunwa and Ndom.
“On getting to the Ohafia LGA Secretariat venue of the primary, I was about to settle down when I was informed that the list being used to accredit delegates at the gate had names different from what was sent to the party national secretariat in Abuja and strangers were being accredited. I moved in to enforce the usage of the actual delegate list.
Read also: 2023: Makinde emerges Oyo PDP flagbearer
“After successful accreditation, voting commenced from Umunneochi LGA. After the Umunneochi delegates had cast their votes, Godwin Ndom, who still came with the team from the Party Office, directed that counting of ballots should follow each LGA vote as against the known procedure of counting at the end of balloting while four LGAs of Ohafia, Isiukwuato, Bende and Arochukwu were yet to cast their votes.
“Mao Ohuabunwa, in connivance with Ndom and his miscreants, personally grabbed the ballot box (bucket), available ballot papers and result sheets and ran out of the election venue after disrupting the entire process.
“This clarification has become necessary in view of the fact that the sponsor and beneficiary of this affront on our electoral processes, planned and premeditated this action knowing full well that he is unpopular and to orchestrate chaos he hopes to benefit from.”
