APC rejects Ebonyi governorship result, heads to tribunal

Sen. Sonni Ogbuoji, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 9 governorship election in Ebonyi, says he will contest the outcome of the poll in the tribunal.

Ogbuoji made the disclosure on Wednesday in Enugu while addressing newsmen on the position of the party following the contest which returned the incumbent, Gov. Dave Umahi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The APC candidate described the exercise as a sham which would not stand in the face of the law.

“We have assessed the conduct of the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in our state and the experiences our people went through.

“We were not in a hurry to make our position known until we have got all the facts, consulted widely and taken accounts and discoveries from our members, candidates and supporters.

“We have decided to make some facts public and clarify impressions about what happened on that fateful day in the state,” he said.

Ogbuoji said that residents of the state during the exercise and by coercion, decided against a happy and assured future.

He said that the votes that returned the governor were procured with the connivance of the system, “a reason there are gloomy faces all over the state.

“We, therefore, reject in its entirety the shambolic exercise, the processes that led to it and the result or outcome.”

The Senator said that the leadership of the party in the state would sacrifice its convenience, overlook their victimisation to support every step that would foster good leadership in the state.

“I will continue to make personal contributions in any conceivable way that will ensure the smooth leadership of our dear state.

“At this point, our hearts go out to those citizens of the state that were killed, maimed, hurt, injured, kidnapped, brutalised and denied their rights.

“To those that felt they did the right thing and made the right choice that historic day, we wish them well and leave it for posterity to judge us all.

“We pray for Ebonyi to become that state of our dreams that will assure a better life for our people, the sole reason for which we wanted power,” Ogbuoji said.