JUST IN: PDP’s Cooked Up Results Can’t Torpedo My Victory — Alex Otti Asks INEC To Declare Him Abia Governor-Elect

The Labour Party candidate, Alex Otti, has demanded his declaration as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Abia State.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, Otti stated that results so far collated in 16 of the 17 Local Government Areas of the state clearly show that he won the election.

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Otti, who was reportedly leading in the polls before the collation of results was suspended by INEC on Monday, stated that he believes he has the mandate of the people and that the election should be declared in his favour “forthwith”.

THE WHISTLER reported that INEC suspended the exercise after political thugs alleged to be affiliated with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stormed the commission’s collation center in Obingwa LGA and forced the electoral officers to sign falsified results of the poll.

Addressing journalists at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, Otti said having secured about 172,000 votes against PDP’s 78,000 votes in the 16 LGAs, there was no way the ruling party could “torpedo our victory” using falsified results from the last LGA, which according to him has less than 30,000 registered voters.

He called on the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and the commission’s management to do the needful by ensuring that whatever decision they reach after their ongoing review of results from Obingwa LGA reflects the will of the people.

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Otti warned that the electoral commission must not allow itself to be used as a tool to subvert the will of the people, stressing that it was clear that he won the majority of votes cast by the people of Abia.

The LP candidate recalled warning that the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu led PDP had resorted to violence and intimidation to suppress his supporters during the election.

Meanwhile, INEC had promised to investigate reports of violence and other irregularities in the affected LGA and ensure that the election was free, fair and credible.

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