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George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The People’s Democratic Party’s candidate for Orlu, Orsu and Oru East Federal Constituency, Jerry Alagbaoso, has been declared winner of the February 23, National Assembly election.
Announcing the result yesterday, at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) state headquarters, in Owerri, the Returning Officer of the federal constituency, Prof. Innocent Madufor, said Alagbaoso scored 21,273 votes, while the candidate of APC polled 20,061 votes, and Chief Elvis Agukwe had 5,290 votes. The Action Alliance (AA) candidate, Ikenna Ihezue picked 2,221 votes.
Speaking earlier, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, said some of the results of Imo polling units were declared inconclusive, but, the returning officer said it was as result of non-functional card readers.
He said where the electoral process was done manually without the use of card readers, the results of the affected polling units remain cancelled.
Reacting, Ihezue said the results were manipulated and he accused the electoral body of having compromised.
Hec said the contestants were not notified before the results were announced 10 days after the poll, describing the action of the commission as rape.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Chief Elvis Agukwe, described the exercise as a mere charade, having declared the results of some of the affected areas in the federal constituency as inconclusive. He said the outcome of the exercise was unacceptable to him.
Regardless, Alagbaoso extended olive branch to his opponents and urged them to embrace peace.
