
The Returning Officer for the Imo West senatorial election on Saturday, Prof Innocent Ibeawuchi,ย has allegedย that heย was forced to declare Governor Rochas Okorochaย the winnerย of the poll by theย supporters of the All Progressives Congress candidate.
According to the result, Okorocha polledย 97,762 votes toย win the election aheadย of the Peoples Democratic Partyโsย ย Mr Jones Onyereri (68,117) and All Progressive Grand Allianceโs Osita Izunaso (30,084).
Ibeawuchi claimed, whileย addressingย reportersย ย afterย announcing the result onย Monday in Owerri, that he was held hostage from 7pm on Sunday till 11am on Monday.
The don saidย becauseย heย fearedย for his life he had to announce the result which he claimed was inconclusive,ย because of the electoral fraudย in eightย LGAs.
He said he was rescued after he had announced the result by policemen and soldiers.
He said, โI was compelled to announce the result which was inconclusive. I am a manย of integrity and it is not true that the governor slapped me butย I was held hostage by agents working for him. I was manhandled and I thank God I came back alive.โ
But Okorocha dismissed the allegations, insisting he deserved to win the election.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor described theย returning officer as โa bloody liar who may be acting a scriptโ.
He said, โHaving wonย in nine out of the 12 local government areas announced, we heard that they wereย ย trying to move the result sheets to Owerri but when we demanded an explanation, the man (Ibeawuchi) said he wasย tired and didnโt feel safe, when nobody was threatening him. At the end, we discovered thatย he didnโt have the declaration sheet. I wonder where this is taking us. I hope INEC would change this system because we will resist them if they try it in the next election.โ
The governor added, โThey should examine the returning officer to know his mental state. If he doesnโtย have aย mental illness, then he must be a criminal to ever think of that. How could someone ask you to change the result of an election he has already won? My score is above 90,000 and the nearest to me is slightly above half of it, when you combine both Jones and Izunasoโs votes. They canโt match or contest against me in Imo State not to talk of Orlu zone.
โI asked theย Resident Electoral Commissioner here to quickly correct these anomalies. The returning officer is a bloody liar who may be acting a script.โ
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