INEC Returning Officer cries out over being forced Okorocha winner of senatorial seat

Former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha

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 Partyโ€™sย ย  Mr Jones Onyereri (68,117) and All Progressive Grand Allianceโ€™s 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, โ€œI 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 โ€œa bloody liar who may be acting a scriptโ€.

He said, โ€œHaving 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 didnโ€™t feel safe, when nobody was threatening him. At the end, we discovered thatย  he didnโ€™t 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, โ€œThey should examine the returning officer to know his mental state. If he doesnโ€™tย  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 Izunasoโ€™s votes. They canโ€™t match or contest against me in Imo State not to talk of Orlu zone.

โ€œI 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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