Abia North: Mao kicks as Kalu claims victory

Kunle Ilyasu 

Contrary to the purported victory of former governor of Abia state Orji Uzor Kalu at the saturdays National Assembly election his main opponent Senator  Mao Ohuabunwa yesterday insisted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was yet to make any official return for Abia north senatorial seat. 

Senator Ohuabunwa at a news briefing yesterday alleged that the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and his co-travelers in INEC only declared himself winner with results that never emanated from the polling units contrary to the electoral Act as amended.

 The lawmaker alleged that the Returning officer for Abia North, Dr Charles Anumudu never returned Chief Kalu as duly elected.

“He only announced figures substantially different   from results collated at the various polling units across Abia north”.

According to him "INEC operatives in their haste to arrive at a pre-determined conclusion manipulated the electoral process to the shock of all well-meaning patriots who believe in democracy.

“In this respect, it is tragic that INEC could conduct an election without the issuance of form EC40G, a form used to capture cancelled votes and places where there was no voting.

“In the circumstances of the above, we demand that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Abia State should direct the Returning Officer of the Abia North Senatorial Election to make the requisite declaration in accordance with the dictates of Rule 17E(e) of the guidelines for the conduct of elections issued by INEC by cancelling the elections completely”.

“Meanwhile, with the massive & arbitrary purported cancellation of valid votes in 72 (of the 149) polling units in the 11 Wards of Arochukwu, 32 in two Wards of Nkporo (17 in Ndi Agbo & 15 in Ndi Elu), and so many other units across the Abia North Senatorial District, in conflict with the results earlier announced & pasted at the various units in accordance with the Electoral Act; besides the hijacking of the unit results in Bende LGA direct from the units to the LGA (by-passing the Ward Collation) where APC & their INEC cohorts connived to manipulate figures at will & had a field day allotting scores across the 13 Wards, over 30,000 registered voters & 10,000 potential votes are being disenfranchised & lost as a result of the orchestrated & predetermined fraudulent act! In Arochukwu for instance, the total no of votes allotted the Senator was a laughable 843”.

 “The declaration of the results was not anything near substantial compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act; just about 2%, or 10% of the registered voters or potential votes respectively! Much as it is painful & going to be a Herculean task to try to redress the grave injustice legally the law is strongly on our side”.

“Bende result did not emanate from the polling units as no results were declared at that level. All results in Bende should have been canceled but the Returning Officer was forced at gunpoint to declare the result for House of Representatives even when he noted 7,601 canceled votes which were more than the margin of 3,547 and he fled afterwards to Umuahia where he issued a statement calling for the cancellation of what he declared”.

2. Nkporo in Ohafia LGA recorded 21,360 canceled votes  in 32 units of two Wards; precisely Ndi Elu - 15 and  Ndi Agbo - 17.

3. Arochukwu (Senator Mao’s home LGA) recorded 31,284 canceled votes with 72 of 149 Polling Units canceled.

4. Elections were canceled at polling units inside Abia State University, Uturu in Isuikwuato LGA with about 19,563 registered voters disenfranchised. That was more than the margin of victory of 3,708 votes recorded for the LGA.

5. Ohafia town recorded 4,682 canceled votes.

A. Total number of canceled votes is 76,889

B. Announced margin of victory 10,402.

Difference between margin of victory and canceled votes is 66,487

Can INEC validly declare a winner of that poll?

The INEC returning officer for Abia North election, Dr Charles Anumudu, is a brother to Willie Anumudu of Globe motors, who is a long term associate of Orji Uzor Kalu .