By Aliyu Juwariate





The Coalition of the 2023 Election Observers has called for the cancellation or rerun of the Abia North senatorial election stating that electorates didn't exercise their political franchise in over one hundred polling units across the senatorial district, while where elections held, it was characterized with electoral violence and other malpractices.



The Head of the Coalition for Abia North 2023 Election, Rasheed Shuaib, while addressing the press alongside others from several organizations accredited by INEC to observe the 2023 general elections in the Abia North Senatorial District pointed out that its advice to INEC going by what they observed is to cancel or have a rerun of the Abia North senatorial election.
"The Abia North Senatorial District covers Arochukwu, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia, and Umu Nneochi LGAs. And 11 candidates from 11 political parties vied for the senatorial seat in that election. They are:
Martins Emetu- ADC, Orji Uzor Kalu-APC, Carol Dike-okafor-APGA, Nnenna Emmanuela Nwosu-APM, Ifeanyichukwu Kingsley Adijeh- APP, Nnamdi Iro Oji- LP, Saidu Ahmed- NNPP, Chinonyerem Wogu-NRM, Mao Ohuabunwa-PDP, Uche Brown Echewie- SDP, and Ahanna Orji Igwe- YPP

"About 500 Accredited INEC Domestic Observers were deployed by The Coalition of Observers to all the 5 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Abia North Senatorial District for the February 25th General Election.
As Observers, it’s important to begin by saying that the Senatorial election that took place in Abia North on 25th February 2023 was below the standard and unacceptable electoral practice, contrary to INEC electoral Acts and guidelines, and against the wishes and expectations of the electorates/constituents.
According to the INEC Electoral Guidelines for the election, the Official opening of the polling units is by 8:30 am. But this was not the case in all the polling units visited by our field observers in the Senatorial District as there were almost general reports of the late arrival of INEC Ad-hoc Staff and electoral materials.
There was late distribution of Electoral materials to the various RAC Centers across the 5 LGAs in Abia North, especially in Arochukwu and Ohafia LGAs; where some candidates have to volunteer by releasing their vehicles to convey the INEC Materials to the various polling units.
In some instances, there were no attached law enforcement agencies that will escort the INEC Materials to the various polling units. As a result, a greater number of INEC Ad-hoc Staff could not proceed to their place of primary assignment on Election Day since the election time was almost up.

"A special case is Bende LGA, where election materials moved from the LGA headquarters early but took some time to reach most polling units, while voters were waiting. Some polling units received their election materials between the hours of 2:30 pm and 6:00 pm as reported by our field observers at the LGA.
This also led to missing or misplacement of Result Sheets in some polling units, while the voters were already in the queue ready to exercise their franchise.
Despite the late arrival of INEC Materials, the people came out en-mass in the early hours of the day to exercise their franchise. Some later went home and never came back, especially the elderly and sick ones. The youths remained till they were accredited and voted for the candidate of their choice.
The BVAS was supposed to be used to authenticate or capture the faces of the Voters in all the polling units where the elections were held, but our observers noticed that the machines were either not functioning or were not used in most of the Polling Units.

"We also observed that some INEC Officials which were originally posted to some areas were dropped and their names changed to entirely new persons as confessed by one of the Youth Corpers we interacted with.
The collation which was supposed to be done at the ward level was done at the LGA while some of the Youth Corpers disappeared with their result sheets and reappeared at the wee hours of the night with mutilated results and some never came back especially in some units in Bende LGA.

"On the election Saturday 25th February 2023 INEC returning officer after noticing some irregularities and logistic challenges announced to the observers, party agents, and others in Ohafia, after speaking with the Resident Electoral Officer in Umuahia, that there will be a rerun election on Sunday 26th February 2023 in some places in Abia North where elections didn’t hold as a result of logistics.


"We want to put it on record that there was no rerun election in those affected places. Later around 2 pm on that 26th of February, one of the officials of INEC informed us that the elections in places where elections were never held will be done on the 27th starting by 8:30 am. All the voters that turned up in their numbers were disappointed and while some were still hanging around their various polling units, information came to us that the EO and the collation Officers were about to announce the results.


"As observers, we rushed to the venue and tried to remind them of the number of voters they will disfranchise if they should go on to call the result of the unfinished election and the consequences, but it all went on deaf ears.
After every effort to appeal to them to do the needful both by the Party Agents and Security Personnel, the two collation Officers went ahead and called the result of what should have been regarded as an inconclusive election.
It took the presence of the heavy joint security officers on the ground to calm the situation before the INEC officers were squeezed out of the premises of the Presbyterian Church school in Ohafia.
We want to put on record that election didn’t hold in over 100 polling units across the Senatorial districts with over 80,000 registered voters.


"Again, the new electoral law makes it mandatory that counting and announcement of results should be made open by the presiding officer at the polling units, but this was ignored in most polling units visited at the Bende, Ohafia, Arochukwu, and Isuikwu LGAs. The Law also mandates that the results be posted in the polling units; this was also not the case in most of the Polling Units.
This action negates the transparency of the voting process across the board in most of the polling units in Abia North Senatorial District.
Also, the 2022 electoral Act provides that there should be online transmission of result sheets at the conclusion of voting through the INEC Result viewing (IRev) portal. The report we received from both CPALD Station and Roving Observers as well from other observer groups is that there is no transmission of result sheet at most of the polling units across the Abia North Senatorial District".

While giving recommendations, he stated that INEC should as a matter of urgency helps to calm the growing agitation in these areas where elections were never held and fix a date to conduct a rerun election or cancel the elections as a result of irregularities which took place during the collation of the results which is not in line with the electoral new ACT.
"INEC should critically look into the distribution of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials ahead of the Governorship and State Assembly election. As this was a major setback in the 25th February presidential election.
There should be an adequately attached police officer that will escort both the election materials and INEC Ad-Hoc Staff as this was one of the reasons why there was no election in some of the polling units in Ohafia, Arochukwu, etc. There should be an adequate arrangement between the commission and the major transport operators on how to convey the election materials to the polling units. There should be a proper orientation to the INEC Ad-Hoc Staff not to compromise or be influenced by any political party to do their bidding. There should be proper re-training of the INEC Presiding Officers who are going to handle the BVAS. To have a hitch-free March 18th rescheduled Governorship and States Assembly elections.
"INEC should properly communicate to both the State and Non-State Actors where there is any issue that will warrant a delay in the election processes", he added.

Yet the children of hate kept shouting stolen mandate. I guess Apc rigged in Abia too?

homosapien:
Yet the children of hate kept shouting stolen mandate. I guess Apc rigged in Abia too?

It's Orji Uzor Kalu's rigging machine that high-jacked the result sheet for the Senatorial election and wrote the nonsense he gave to the APC returning officer to announce.

MadamExcellency:


It's Orji Uzor Kalu's rigging machine that high-jacked the result sheet for the Senatorial election and wrote the nonsense he gave to the APC returning officer to announce.

Let me pretend I agree with you.

homosapien:


Let me pretend I agree with you.

you really dont have to pretend ...you either choose to be foolish or sensible

ezechi242:


you really dont have to pretend ...you either choose to be foolish or sensible

In don't expect anything reasonable response from despicable Dingbat, Vindictive bigots and sadistic slowpoke, you have however be noticed, run along to continue with your pathetic existence. Idiot

homosapien:


In don't expect anything reasonable response from despicable Dingbat, Vindictive bigots and sadistic slowpoke, you have however be noticed, run along to continue with your pathetic existence. Idiot

tears of sadness my friend...

Lawyers are smiling post election season

ezechi242:


tears of sadness my friend...

Just like tears will continue to be yours from now till the end of your miserable life.

homosapien:


Just like tears will continue to be yours from now till the end of your miserable life.

homosexual ...cry more ...fking fagot hahahahaha

ezechi242:


homosexual ...cry more ...fking fagot hahahahaha

Next time stop trying to be smarter than yourself. Dumbhead. Consider this my last rely to you. Harlot

homosapien:
Yet the children of hate kept shouting stolen mandate. I guess Apc rigged in Abia too?

Orji Uzor Kalu of APC was declared winner of Abia North Senatorial seat, that is the focus of the story! Read, you no read.😆😆😆

homosapien:


Next time stop trying to be smarter than yourself. Dumbhead. Consider this my last rely to you. Harlot

smelling homosexual hahahahaha.....

Mindlog:


Orji Uzor Kalu of APC was declared winner of Abia North Senatorial seat, that is the focus of the story! Read, you no read.😆😆😆

You that read, i thought the rigging only happened in the other parts of the country except ST Eastern State. John bull

homosapien:


You that read, i thought the rigging only happened in the other parts of the country except ST Eastern State. John bull

Eyah😆😆😆😆😆