The Abia chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the House of Representatives election in Aba South/Aba North Federal constituency, held on February 25, 2023, for omitting its party logo on the ballot paper.
Promise Iheasimuo, APC candidate for Aba North/South Federal constituency, at the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, stated that the party has rejected the result of the February 25, 2023, House of Representatives election in the area.
Iheasimuo made this known in Aba, during a press conference, to announce his call for the cancellation of the election.
He argued that the omission made it impossible for his supporters and party members to vote for him during the election.
Iheasimuo, a former leader of the Aba South Local Government Area (LGA) Legislative Council, said that INEC’s mistake deprived APC loyalists in Aba North and South the option of voting for the party.
He therefore called for the cancellation and rescheduling of fresh House of Representatives election in the area.
“We were wrongly excluded from the ballot papers and we were not found on the election results sheet.
“We made an official report to INEC, security agencies and even the press, before the election, but INEC ignored us.
“The commission went ahead to declare the Labour Party candidate winner of the election, where another party duly registered for the election was omitted for no good reason.
“I passed through due process. I bought a form, passed through screening and submitted my form and was made my party’s candidate by law.
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“Even when they initially excluded me, I got an Umuahia Federal High Court order mandating INEC to submit my name.
“My party did the same thing by urging INEC to publish my name, yet INEC omitted my name”, Iheasimuo said.
He said when he enquired, INEC told him that they had already printed the ballot papers before he got a court order to shift the election date to accommodate him.
Iheasimuo said INEC had no excuse to omit a candidate of a party registered duly for an election.
“The order was served on INEC on the February 20, which INEC acknowledged receipt of the order.
“Even if it came a day before the election, INEC should accommodate me.
“I am a candidate and INEC should put my party’s name and logo there and allow our supporters to make their choice.
“So, I am calling for the cancellation of the Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency election and urging INEC to fix a new date for the election,” he said.
He said INEC’S performance during the February 25 election was poor, stressing that they should not have gone on with the election when they knew they had not prepared well.
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