Say results justify Igbos’ sense of being marginalised
From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the just-concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, alleging that the polls were marred with massive fraud.
Another Igbo group has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of collating results in polling units where the elections did not hold in Imo State.
A statement by the media and publicity secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, to reporters in Owerri, noted that the election, where the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, lost to All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate Bola Tinubu, clearly proved Igbo’s marginalisation in Nigeria.
“We understand the importance of credible elections as a democratic process to salvage the sufferings by giving people the opportunity to choose their leaders through credible elections. In the case of Nigeria, credible elections are a mirage and can never be achieved,” the statement read.
“With what has happened in the just concluded fraudulent election, it’s becoming clear even to the blind that Igbos are not wanted in Nigeria. Biafra Nation remains the only option. IPOB will always be proven right at the appointed time.
Similarly, Igbo group Ohanaeze Youth Council has rejected the results collated in the Orlu zone area of Imo State, insisting the results were collated from polling units where elections did not hold.
President of the group Igboayaka Igboayaka, in a press conference in Owerri, told reporters that elections did not hold in Orsu, Oru East and part of Ohaji Egbema but wondered why INEC declared results in those areas.
He called for the removal of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Sylvia Agu.
The LP candidate for Okigwe North, Chikwem Onuoha, has rejected the result announced by INEC, describing it as fraudulent.
“As you all know that Okigwe LGA, one of the LGAs that made up our Federal Constituency, has been in the news in recent times for insecurity, no thanks to steady activities of ‘unknown gunmen’,” he said.
Onuoha implored INEC to collate the results only where the election was held which he claimed he won in the polling units.