By Nnaya Okemini, Umuahia
Senator Mao Ohuabunwa has said that both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies compromised the 2019 Abia North Senatorial election to rob him of Victoria.
Ohuabunwa stated this in a press statement by the Director General (DG) of his Follow Better Campaign Organisation, Dr. Ndubuisi Eke, saying the country’s democracy was under siege.
He was reacting to the upholding of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s victory against him in the February 23 election for Abia North district by the Appeal Court sitting in Owerri, Imo state capital last week.
The former Speaker of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) Parliament contested the election for a second term on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia had annulled the victory of the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate Kalu on grounds of non compliance with the Electoral Act, and principles of margin of lead.
It had therefore, ordered INEC to conduct a supplementary poll in eight out of the 11 wards in Arochukwu council area among other polling units across the districts where it held that the results were not collated.
Ohuabunwa who was on the seat from 2015-2019 expressed concern over “the preponderance of bad eggs” among INEC officials and ad-hoc staff, described the duo as “the worst enemies of Nigeria democracy”.
He claimed that “the mandate of Abia North people was stolen through the collaboration of INEC and compromised security agents who maintained criminal silence in the face of evil”.
Speaking further the chairman of the Senate committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases maintained that he strongly believed that he won the election but ” my mandate was stolen.”
Ohuabunwa, who expressed shock over the judgement of the Appellate Court said he had been inundated by calls from democrats and well meaning Nigerians whose hopes were dashed by the verdict.
“Our judiciary again, lost another golden opportunity to restore public confidence and rekindle the people’s hope on our fledgling democracy,” regretted the former House of Representative member.
He wondered how the court arrived at the decision that the tribunal erred by ordering a supplementary election in areas ” where INEC robbed the people of their right to decide who will be their leader”.
“INEC clearly violated the Electoral Act by giving Certificate of Return to a candidate who was never returned by any Returning Officer because the margin of win was far less than the total number of cancelled votes”, he argued.
The former speaker equally maintained that he had moved on with life, saying that since the appellate court was the final bus stop for the legal tussle, he had “resigned the matter to God”.
“My only regret is that Abia North which has always produced great voice at the Senate has suddenly become a comic relief and laughing stock at the Red Chamber.”
He thanked his supporters, who stood by him while the battle lasted, urging them not to despair but have faith in God” as according to him, “darkness can only last for a short while.”
