By Francis Sadhere
THE All Progressives Congress of Nigeria has rejected the result of the Delta Central Senatorial Bye-election announced by INEC, just as they demanded for “a fresh election that would allow the people of Delta Central to freely elect a candidate of their choice.”
The APC candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor made this rejection at a press briefing in Warri, Delta State.
The party accused the government and all its agencies, including INEC and security agencies, for working in favour of the ruling party, PDP.
Olorogun Emerhor said; “I hereby place this on record that NO bye-election took place in Delta Central on October 12th 2013. What took place was a sham calculated to select a senator, the first by democracy in the world by the government and all its agencies, including the INEC, the military and the other security agencies working together to achieve this nefarious and predetermined outcome.”
According to Olorogun Emerhor, the whole process was militarized and voters were intimidated to stay at home and were not allowed to come out and exercise their franchise, adding that Nigerian Army supervised the snatching of ballot boxes by PDP stalwarts and thugs.
“In places that were not stronghold of the PDP, the INEC found every reason in the book to burgle the exercise, including but not limited to the lame excuse by the NYSC that their allowances for the training they received few days back and the money for the voting exercise which they have not even conducted be paid. The payment for training and election conduct is clearly within the purview of the government of the day and INEC for which they have been heavily funded by tax payers,” the APC candidate said.
He also accused the military for supervising the thumb printing of ballot papers in private homes of PDP stalwarts, adding that in the few areas were the semblance of election took place the exercise started beyond 3: pm which was outside the constitutional and electoral provision.
He said; “The aim was to delay the exercise to give room for the PDP to manipulate the system in the dark of night which was what actually happened across board. INEC failed to provide transportation for men and materials and left this critical responsibility to the Delta State Government which provided them the opportunity to hijack and divert the materials.”
He also alleged that the restriction of movement put in place by INEC was not adhered by PDP stalwarts, saying that “serving members of the National and State Assemblies, Local Government Chairmen, Commissioners, Deputy Governor and others move about with police escort giving the voters the impression of being above the law.”
Olorogun Emerhor also lamented that the military were used to take over the collation centre, depriving other party agents access to the collation centre which gave room for “PDP in connivance with INEC to allot figures to the various candidates as selection results.”
According to Emerhor, the bye-election was fraught with violence, saying that APC members were brutally attacked and intimidated throughout the election, assuring that if all other processes failed APC would resort to taking legal action against the PDP.
He said APC is challenging the results to set as a precedent in other elections, noting that the people must be allowed to choose their leaders.
