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Obidients who are vocal supporters of the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in Abia State have lashed out at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing it of inconsistency regarding the Abia governorship election.
The Abia Obidients accused INEC of double standards and ‘not being consistent with its inconsistencies,’ over the non-announcement of results in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state.
The Eastern Updates had earlier reported that INEC had suspended the result of Obingwa Local Government Area for investigation and interrogation.
However, the groups urged INEC to declare the winner of the Abia State governorship election.
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In a statement, they said announcing the winner of the election would enable those aggrieved to seek redress in court.
The group stated this in a statement signed by Comrade Chetachi Ikpe and High Chief Ndubueze Obiakwata, Coordinator, Peter Obi Grassroots Movement (POGM), Abia State and Chairman, Obidient Across Parties Alliance(OAPA), Abia State.
The statement reads: ‘Abia Obidients categorically demand that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC must strive to avoid playing double standards “by not being consistent with its inconsistencies” regarding the electoral umpire’s bizarre decision to suspend the announcement of Governorship results from Obingwa LGA.
‘Curiously and unfortunately, this is inconsistent with the electoral umpire’s position during the Presidential election where the Labour Party, LP Candidate, Mr Peter Obi and other aggrieved parties were asked to challenge the contentious presidential election results in court.
‘It was based on the premise that according to INEC, “it is only the court, not INEC, that has the powers to reject or upturn a result that had already been declared by the returning officers at the LGA/State levels.
‘We urge INEC to strive to be consistent despite her glaring inconsistencies.’
‘Using the commission’s position on the presidential election as a precedent, we urge INEC to immediately announce the Obingwa LGA Governorship election result and proceed to announce the winner of the election. It is disheartening when INEC appears to have different set of rules for different political parties and personalities. That is very unhealthy for Nigerian democracy.
