No fewer than 5,000 protesters on Monday
stormed the office of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) in
Enugu State over the outcome of the
National Assembly elections.
The protesters, mainly youths, were led by
Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, a former Governor
of Enugu State and senatorial candidate of
PDC in Enugu East Senatorial zone.
They alleged that the Senatorial and House
of Representatives elections in which Sen.
Gilbert Nnaji and Dr Emeka Ujam of
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were
respectively declared winners were rigged.
The protesters relocated to Okpara Square
at Independence Layout after they were
dispersed with tear gas by security officers
at the INEC office.
Briefing newsmen on their grievances,
Nnamani alleged that there were no
elections in the whole of Enugu East
Senatorial zone.
“What happened in our area is completely
unacceptable to us and this has inspired
me.
“Within the next 10 days, we are going to
restructure the politics of Enugu State,” he
said.
Nnamani said that he won the senatorial
election while Mr Nnoli Nnaji and other
members of PDC won their contests for the
House of Representatives positions.
“I represent the Nkanu sub-clan of the Igbo
nation and want to sit at the National
Assembly to help restructure the current
configuration of the country,” he said.
He said that the results of the elections
amounted to an attempt to breed
mediocrity among the people and the
Nigerian nation.
Nnamani said that he was determined to
reclaim his mandate in a lawful and
peaceful manner.
Attempts to get the reaction of the Resident
Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof.
Chukwuemeka Onukogu, failed as he
neither answered telephone calls made to
him nor replied a text message sent to him.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that the protesters vowed to vote against
the candidate of the PDP whom they had
earlier adopted in the April 11 governorship
election if the alleged irregularity was not
corrected.