In response to alleged rigging, Labour Party supporters storm the INEC office in Ebonyi State

In response to alleged rigging, Labour Party supporters storm the INEC office in Ebonyi State

On Monday, more than 100 supporters of the Labour Party, LP, particularly in the federal constituencies of Abakaliki/Izzi and Ohaukwu/Ebonyi, protested the alleged rigging, tampering with election results, and collusion between INEC officials and politicians to award votes to the candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The demonstrators who overran the INEC office in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State, asked that the results be thrown out since they were allegedly given to the APC candidates.

Sayings such as “Say no to rigging,” “The strength of the people is greater than the people in power,” “INEC should not play with our fate,” and “Democracy is not a dictator’s sport” were written on placards that the demonstrators held.

Give us our victory, let democracy reign, say no to corruption, our votes must count, and say no to rigging are among the other slogans that are written on the wall.

At the INEC headquarters, protesters who spoke to reporters through Labour Party candidates for the Abakaliki/Izzi and Ohaukwu/Ebonyi federal seats urged President Muhammadu Buhari and all Nigerians to pressure the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ebonyi State to act morally.

Emmanuel Eze and Prince Chibueze Agbo, the Labour Party’s candidates for the House of Representatives in the federal seats of Abakaliki/Izzi and Ohaukwu/Ebonyi, claimed that “evil forces in INEC are trying to influence our results.”

Says Eze

“The election results from Abakaliki/ Izzi federal constituency are yet to be declared up till now. They kept mutilating the results.

“This is 48 hours after the election has been conducted. They are manufacturing figures and we will not agree. The Electoral Officers for Abakaliki/ Izzi and Ohaukwu/Ebonyi federal constituencies should tell us how much they have collected to frustrate the wishes of the masses.

“I’m the candidate of LP for Abakaliki, Izzi federal constituency who won overwhelmingly. INEC must announce our results because Labour Party, LP, won the election.”

Prince Chibueze Agbo, who is contesting for Ohaukwu, Ebonyi Federal Constituency, said:

“Nobody is happy with what is happening in Nigeria today. But I’m happy that the masses are giving the Obidient movement massive support everywhere.

“Those few bad elements in INEC that are trying to thwart the wishes of the masses will never succeed. I know, together we will get our mandate, and victory back. They (INEC) should not take the masses for granted. It’s better to allow the electoral revolution to prevail than violence.”