The results released by the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) on Sunday in which candidates of Labour Party won six out of the eight councillorship seats in Ikwuano Local Government Area of the state has become the biggest surprise of the December 18 polls.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the remaining two seats.
Chairman of ABSIEC, Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa, announced Stephen Mpamugo of PDP as winner of the chairmanship seat with 8,720 votes, while the APC candidate polled 110 votes.
Mkpa blamed the late release of results on crises in Umunneochi LGA where some thugs allegedly invaded polling centres.
The results have continued to generate posers in the state, especially in Ikwuano LGA as many wonder how a political party rarely known in the state, would suddenly spring such a surprise.
The victory of Labour Party was also attributed to Hon. Sam Onuigbo’s last-minute exit from the PDP for the All Progressive Congress.
Onuigbo represents Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and is a two-timer.
A PDP chieftain (name withheld) claimed that the failed PDP candidates belonged to the structure of Onuigbo, hence they lost the elections.
To this end, the All Progressives Congress, (APC) on Monday, described the election result as a sham, calling for its cancellation.
In a statement in Umuahia signed by its spokesman, Benedict Godson, the Abia APC alleged that the results announced by ABSIEC did not reflect the will of the people, adding that Abians voted massively for the APC.
“We are not saying that people did not vote in all the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) because the Abia people voted massively for APC where the elections took place but the commission did the bidding of PDP by changing the results”, he stated.
He further alleged that there were no elections in Arochukwu, Bende, Ohafia, Ugwunagbo, Aba South and Aba North LGAs.
Also, a senior aide to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of All Progressives Congress, Hon. Maduka Okoro, said the results made mockery of ABSIEC as allegedly working as an agent of the PDP
But the image maker of PDP in Abia State, Mr. Fabian Nwankwo described APC’s cries as baseless as according to him, the polls were credible and fair.
