The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Wedneday, said it would challenge the declaration of the Governor-elect, Alex otti, at the election petition tribunal.
Otti, the candidate of the Labour Party in the March 18, 2023 governorship poll was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission after polling a total of 175,467, to defeat his closet rival and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Okey Ahiwe, who garnered 88,529 votes.
Although governor Okezie Ikpeazu, had congratulated Otti, and urged the candidates who lost in the election not to challenge the outcome of the election to avoid distractions to the incoming governor, but the PDP State Working Committee acted otherwise.
In a statement by the Abia PDP Vice Chairman and acting State Publicity Secretary, Elder Abraham Amah, stated that the party will challenge the outcome of the election in six local goverment areas where the BIVAS machine was allegedly not used for accreditation of voters.
The statement read, “The Abia PDP State Working Committee and the enlarged State Executive Committee met today and reviewed the results after collecting all the materials used in the conduct of the just concluded governorship and state House of Assembly elections and has decided to go to court to challenge the results of the Abia guber election, especially in six local government areas where the BIVAS machines were not used.
It added that “the decision is coming on the heels of members of the Labour Party taking its our candidates that won elections to court despite the honest and wise advise and appeal of the Abia state governor Okezie Ikpeazu, that the winners of the election including the governor-elect, Alex Otti should be spared the burden of litigation which only serves to distract public officers from performing their duties and responsibilities.
“Abia PDP is shocked to note that at a time when it is making arrangements for a seamless and peaceful transition for the new government, it is the same Labour Party that was declared the winner that is trying to torpedo the process.
“Subsequently, the legal department of the Abia PDP will release the details of its petitions in the next 24 hours and head to the Election Petition Tribunal to challenge the declaration of Alex Otti of the Labour Party as the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election.
The party, however, call on the people of Abia to remain calm, peaceful and steadfast.
Source: The Punch
