#NigeriaDecides2019: INEC declares Atiku winner of presidential polls in Ebonyi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, winner in the presidential polls held in Ebonyi on Saturday.

The All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state has, however, rejected the result and vowed to challenge it through appropriate channels.

The Presidential Election Collation Officer in the state, Prof. Chukwuemeka Eze, supervised the declaration of the results by INEC’s collation officers in the 13 local government areas in the state at the commission’s headquarters in Abakaliki.

According to the results, as declared, PDP won in 12 LGAs – Afikpo South, Afikpo North, Ivo, Ohaozara, Ebonyi, Ishiellu, Onicha, Ohaukwu, Izzi, Abakaliki, Ezza South and Ezza North, leaving APC with victory in Ikwo.

PDP’s Atiku garnered a total of 258, 575 votes as against APC Muhammadu Buhari, who got 90, 726 votes. The difference in vote between the two candidates is 167,849.

In 2015, the PDP had scored 323,653 votes in the state while the APC garnered a paltry 19, 518 votes. The difference in votes was 204,136.

Reacting to the latest result, Chairman of the APC in the state, Eze Nwachukwu, said the party rejected it in its entirety and would challenge it appropriately.

“We call for the cancellation of the entire exercise due to acts of intimidation, electoral violence, over-voting, among others, committed by the ruling party in the state.

“The APC agent in my polling unit, for instance, Mr Uche Ubochi, was arrested and detained for six hours by the police for frivolous charges orchestrated by the ruling party in the state.

“When he was eventually released after my intervention, the voting process had been manipulated and huge figures allotted to the ruling party,” he said.

He urged INEC to re-conduct the elections as the results did not reflect wishes of the electorate in the state.

The Chairman of PDP in the state, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, was not available for comments, but the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, said the APC should ‘lick its wounds’.

“The entire process was transparent and we highly commend INEC for ensuring that the will of the people prevailed.

“The people showed that they are happy with the transformational strides of the governor and all elected PDP members across the state.

“They would further demonstrate this resolve during the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections on March 9 and the APC should realise that Ebonyi is for PDP,” he said.

(NAN)