APC candidate rejects Ikpoba-Okha/Egor results

Candidate of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) for Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency, Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima, has rejected the results of the February 23 National Assembly elections.

Hon Agbonnayima is the incumbent lawmaker representing the constituency.

In the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Jude Ise-Idehen, won the election with 53,618 while Agbonayinma got 44,323.

Speaking to newsmen in Benin City yesterday, Agbonnayima said reports from APC agents and independent observers from various Wards in the constituency established flagrant violations of the provision of the Electoral Act.

Agbonnayima fingered Electoral Officers in the constituency of conniving with leaders of the People’s Democratic Party to rig the election.

He said many persons were already confessing the roles they played to rig the elections.

His words, “I won the election and I will not allow anybody deprived my people the right to quality representation.

“We have it on good authority that in several Wards Collation Centres, the results were not collated and announced at the Units, Wards and local government collating centre which he said was contrary to Section 27 of the Electoral Act as amended.

“In various Wards of Egor and Ikpoba-Okha, the Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) and the Electoral Officers disappeared with unsigned result only to appear after long hours with the results still unsigned which negate the result announced.

“There were cases of malpractices, manipulation of results by INEC staff and intimidation by some security agents.

“It is clear from reports that majority of INEC officials were compromised. O hereby reject the result announced by INEC and will be challenging the result in court.”