The All Progressive Congress (APC) and seven other political parties have rejected the declaration of Senator Douye Diri as the winner of the November 11 governorship election.
The party agent, Dr Dennis Otiotio speaking at the State collation office accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of cancelling over 84,000 votes belonging to the party to pave way for Diri’s victory.
“ The total votes that APC scored in the field that was cancelled stood at about 84,000 votes. Add it to what APC scored here; you will see that we clearly won the election. It is clear that INEC has connived with the PDP to cancel our results in this INEC office not at the field.’’
Also, party agents and chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr Joel Tubonimi of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Chief Williams Parker of National Rescue Movement (NRM), Mr Okala Aziboala of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) and Dr Charles Oyibo of the Labour Party (LP) have also rejected the results.
Speaking to journalists at a press conference, the representatives of the political parties accused INEC of bias and favouring the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
They wondered why would move the collation of results of Brass, Nembe and Southern Local Government which are not the stronghold of the PDP to the state collation office while leaving that of Kolokuma/ Opokuma. Sagbama and Ekeremor to be collated at the different local government areas.
The representatives of the party also condemned the arbitrary cancellations of results which have been collated at the various polling units at the local government levels.
According to them this runs contrary to the Electoral Act and it is an illegal action that greatly undermined the credibility of the election.
They hinted that after a formal review of the conduct of the elections, they would explore legal options.
