—Says INEC was compromised by opposition
—Assures APC will get judgment at Tribunal
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
The Governor of Imo State and the Deputy Chairman of the APC Edo State Governorship Campaign Council, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has rejected the results of the Edo State Governorship Election.
A statement by Oguwike Nwachuku, Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to Uzodimma said the Governor made this known when he arrived the Imo State Government House Owerri on Sunday morning after the election which held on Saturday, 19th September, 2020.
It will be recalled that central government of Uzodimma’s governing party, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, conducted and had been widely commended for the free, fair and credible solo election during which a PDP governor was allegedly ordered out of Edo State to avoid stalemate.
President Buhari, himself in a statement sent to The DEFENDER on Sunday, had commended the the winner of the process even as he reiterated his commitment to free, fair and credible elections in the country.
But Governor Uzodimma, a former PDP senator who like Governor Godwin Obaseki equally crossed carpet leaving his own party to achieve his aim of becoming governorship candidate of APC under a controversial process overseen by an Adams Oshiomhole party chairmanship, faulted the decision of the President when he dismissed the APC government-conducted poll as a compromised one.
The Imo State governor disclosed that the entire process in Edo State was marred by irregularities from officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who sabotaged the system, making it difficult for the APC votes to count.
Governor Uzodimma went on to describe the conduct of INEC officials in the Edo Governorship Election as ‘shameful’.
The Governor also thanked the Governorship Candidate of the APC in Edo, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, for his resilience and doggedness.
He also assured that the APC is already gathering evidence to proceed to the Election Petition Tribunal any moment from now, confident that the party will get judgment in due time.
Governor Uzodimma urged all APC faithfuls and party supporters to remain calm and law abiding, noting that what happened in Edo State is a sabotage to our hard-worn Democracy in Nigeria.
He has has however been generally condemned by members of the APC who consider the governor to be speaking only a camp of certain persons he belongs whose course he steered leading to how sitting Governor Obaseki was frustrated to be left with no option than quiting the party.
“Your President and Leader of your party commended an electoral process, you turn around to condemn it. Who are you?” A source questioned Uzodimma.
