-Tells INEC to declare its candidate winner
By Dorcas Samson Achi
Since the winner of the Okigwe Senate bye- election is yet to emerge, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) in Imo State has resolved to drag the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), to court with the sole intention of compelling the faltering umpire into declaring its candidate, Attorney Charles Onyirimba, winner of the election.
The party by so doing demands the outright disqualifications of Frank Ibezim, who is claiming to be the candidate of the APC, and the PDP candidate,Emmanuel Okewulonu, who participated in the election. This was revealed during the party’s state Executive Committee meeting and review of the December 5th Okigwe Senatorial bye-election, at the party secretariat along Egbu road, Owerri.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the state Chairman of the party, Hon John Iwuala, noted that the Federal High Court, Abuja had barred Hon. Frank Ibezim of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) from contesting any election or from holding any public office for submitting fake documents and inconsistencies in his name, Frank and Francis. He also noted that an Appeal Court had sacked the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Imo State thus restraining them from conducting fraudulent congresses, thus rendering invalid the candidacy of Hon. Emmanuel Okewulonu, the PDP flag-bearer in the Okigwe Senate bye election, who is busy mobilizing youths to protest against his non-declaration as winner of the bye-election.
While refuting the rumor that APGA members did not fully participate in the election, Iwuala disclosed that APGA participated effectively in the election, but was rigged out by the opposing parties, stating that over 7,000 votes cast for APGA were removed, accusing INEC of conniving with the opposition to rig the election.
“INEC should tell Okigwe people that APC and PDP have no valid candidates in the election. APGA scored the highest number of votes cast. For this, we are going to Court to ask it to compel INEC to declare APGA candidate, Attorney Charles Onyirimba, winner of the election. APGA has taken a stand and would not relent in achieving victory”, he said.
He reiterated that placing APGA, 3rd in an election it won clearly, demonstrated that the election was fraught with open fraud and irregularities, thus encouraging his members and supporters to keep faith as victory is theirs. He therefore called the on general public to reject evil and support APGA to ensure that democracy is upheld.
“APGA suspected that INEC would rely on Supreme Court judgment to declare a candidate who won the election. If INEC declared APC winner of the election, who would represent APC in the Senate then it is injustice and undemocratic. It will repeat what happened during the 2019 Imo gubernatorial election and that is totally unacceptable”, Iwuala concluded.
