Burning of Isialangwa INEC office: Usual signature of opposition’s agents’

Sunday Nwakanma, Umuahia

Dr. Alex Otti Campaign Organisation said the recent burning of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) new office building at Umuikaa, Isiala Ngwa LGA early Sunday morning has the usual signature of agents of Abia State government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Briefing newsmen Monday in Umuahia, the Director-General, Alex Otti campaign Organization, Dr. Max Nduaguibe said “It is beyond coincidence that the wilful destruction of the INEC office happened barely two days after the massive turn out of supporters at the Isialangwa North and South campaign rallies addressed by Dr. Ottri and other APGA candidates from the area”. Dr. Nduaguibe described the razing as act of “brigandage, intimidation and impunity”, recalling that in 2015, an INEC office located at Isialangwa South LGA, Omoba “was burnt down during the governorship and state House of Assembly elections, when the APGA House of Assembly candidate, Hon. Levi Atulegwu was leading his opponents, including the PDP candidate, by wide margin. “The same ugly incident was repeated in Obingwa during the governorship tribunal case instituted by our principal, Dr. Alex Otti. Thugs, obviously acting on the instructions of the state government, burnt down the Obingwa INEC office, less than 24 hours after the tribunal gave an order for the INEC to tender the materials used in the local government before the tribunal for forensic examination”. He described the pattern as “incontrovertible” and a “repugnant action” which is their “panic in response to the massive turnout of people at the Isialangwa North and South rallies by Dr. Otti and APGA two days earlier”. He further said, “We are reliably informed that the burning of the new INEC office is part of a wider design by enemies of Abia state in power to intimidate the opposition parties as well as undermine the express wish of the people to change the status quo in Government House, Umuahia with the march 2, 2019 gubernatorial election”. He disclosed that the relocation of the new INEC office was taken in bad faith as it was swiftly resisted by the PDP, and took the mobilization of the military by INEC to get the office relocated, adding “This arson was planned to force the relocation of INEC office back to the premises of the LGA, which is controlled by the PDP and to destroy uncollected PVCs belonging to the teeming supporters of APGA in the area”. According to him, earlier this year, January 6, 2019, the campaign organization had through a statement drawn the attention of Nigerians, particularly Abia state “to clandestine and fraudulent plot by the government of Abia State and PDP to collect details of other people’s PVCs and in some cases purchasing the PVC from unsuspecting members of the public” “The Abia State and its party, PDP had set up groups and allocated large sums of money to them, charging them with the responsibility to fraudulently obtain PVC details of voters, especially those in the rural areas. “To realize this evil agenda, the government issued fake employment forms, bought fertilizers, palm seedlings and other gifts which were given to their unsuspecting victims, in exchange for their PVCs. “We understood that PVCs so collected were intended to be used if incident forms are going to be used by INEC, otherwise, they would be withheld to ensure genuine voters, majority of whom would vote against PDP, are disenfranchised. “Not withstanding all that INEC is doing to checkmate incidents of rigging in the forthcoming general elections, PDP agents are still going about the markets across Abia state, intimidating and harassing helpless men and women, compelling them to release details of their voter’s cards to them”, he said. He urged INEC to collaborate with relevant security agencies to fish out the arsonists who continue to burn down INEC facilities with impunity and deal with them accordingly. He also urged the people of Abia not to allow the event of 2015 to repeat itself, urging also civil society organizations, the European Union, the US and international agencies to beam their search lights on Abia state as a likely flashpoint, come the general elections. He advised security agencies sin the state to also live up to their constitutional responsibilities and ensure safety of lives and property. Reacting, the PDP, Abia State Publicity Secretary, Sir Don Ubani described the APGA allegations against the PDP as “lies from the pit of hell”, stating that there is no reason for the PDP to destroy the INEC office at Isialangwa which he said is the stronghold of PDP. He said that APGA should be held responsible for the arson.