Candidate of Action Alliance in the governorship election held in Imo State on Saturday, Uche Nwosu, has rejected its outcome.
Nwosu, who is also Governor Rochas Okorocha’s son in-law, briefed journalists in Owerri, the state capital on Tuesday, arguing that the Independent National Electoral Commission was wrong to have declared Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party the winner of the election.
He contended that Ihedioha did not meet up with the constitutional requirements to have emerged the state’s governor-elect.
According to Nwosu, the Constitution stipulates that, apart from scoring the majority of votes cast, a candidate must at least garner 25 percent votes in two-thirds of the entire state.
He also alleged that the use of card readers was abused during the election.
Nwosu hinted that he would be heading to the tribunal to challenge the outcome of the election.
He alleged that the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, took sides in the polls in favour of the governor-elect.
Nwosu said, “The state Returning Officer did the wrong thing by announcing Emeka Ihedioha as the winner of the election. For me, it is unacceptable.
“As far as I’m concerned, this is a stolen mandate and I will challenge it at the tribunal.
“The Constitution is very clear on how a candidate will emerge as a governor. He did not get the required spread.
“There should have been a re-run between I and him who are the two leading candidates. That is the position of the law.
“Though he won in 11 LGAs and I in 10, I got more spread than him.
“Also the INEC REC here is for PDP and we observed that when he changed the returning officers at the last minute in order to favour PDP, I have confidence that the judiciary will do the right thing.
“Our supporters were compelled to use the card readers, but PDP was allowed to vote manually; that is why he wrote votes for himself in Mbaise.”
PUNCH
