Cross River chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected results of the local government elections held in the state on Saturday.
Gatekeepers News reports that Chairman of Cross River State Electoral Commission and the election’s returning officer, Dr. Ekong Boco on Sunday, declared that APC won all 18 chairmanship seats in the state.
PDP, however, said that the exercise fell short of every standard to be called an election, adding that it will challenge the outcome in a competent court of law.
The party voiced its contention through a statement released by PDP Chairman in the state, Mr Venatius Ikem in Calabar on Monday.
According to the party; it was a well-orchestrated rigging plan that included the diversion of election materials, and late arrival of insufficient ballot papers without standard serial numbers, and result sheets.
Ikem said that at most of the polling units, CROSIEC official stamps were not provided for the Presiding Officers to stamp the ballot papers after appending their signatures for authentication as required by law.
He said, “From inception, the processes were skewed to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from the composition of the electoral umpire.”
“We obviously underrated the charade that the electoral umpire was cooking in the name of the local government election witnessed on Saturday, November 2.”
“In Calabar South, Municipality, Obudu, Abi, Obubra in particular, election materials, meant for the entire local governments, were diverted to the houses of APC stalwarts where thumb printings were brazenly carried out.”
“For instance, In Obudu no single election material was issued to anyone except the APC that took custody and carted them away to the Military School in Bedia.”
“At this location soldiers cordoned off every one except APC members ostensibly on the orders of a serving army General from the area who is an elder brother of the APC candidate.”
“Again, in Obanlikwu and Bekwarra local government areas where ballot papers were distributed no single results sheets accompanied them and results were written on ordinary papers.”
The Chairman said the “shenanigans” were due to poor performance of the APC both at the federal and state levels, instilling palpable fears amongst members of the ruling party and making them scared of a free and fair contest to avoid embarrassment from the electorate.
He added, “Accordingly, we reject any result emanating from the purported election because, as far as we are concerned, there was nothing like a local government election in Cross River.”
“We state boldy that never in the political history of Cross River have electorate witnessed this kind of monumental electoral fraud perpetrated on Saturday.”
“We urge all our members to remain calm and peaceful as the party shall pursue the outcome in a competent court of law.”
