Leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday rejected the result of the governorship election held in the state on Saturday in which the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC declared the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, as the winner.
Addressing a press conference in Enugu, yesterday, shortly before the final result was released, state chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye, the governorship candidate, Mr. Okey Ezea and his running mate, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku, unanimously vowed to challenge the result legally.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, standard bearer in Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, was declared winner of the governorship election with a total score of 482,277 against his closest rival, the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Okey Ezea, who polled 43,837.
Embattled Ezea told newsmen, yesterday, that “what was witnessed yesterday (Saturday) as election was a sham.
‘’There was also ballot box snatching, physical injuries from PDP thugs unleashed on APC supporters. Over 5,000 thugs chased away our supporters. I was almost killed.
“It is a case of police aiding and abetting thuggery, even the INEC staff were compromised too. Therefore, we are saying as far as we are concerned, there was no election in Enugu State.
‘’We, therefore, call on INEC to cancel the election completely and order a fresh one where police from outside the state will come to supervise.”
Reacting, the state police command’s spokesman, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said “that is not true as police do not vote, but provide security for voters and those conducting election.’’
