ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to formerly declare its governorship candidate, Peter Mbah, as the winner of the 18 March governorship election in the State.
The party spokesperson, the PDP Campaign Council Nana Ogbodo, said this in a statement, made available to journalists in Enugu.
Meanwhile, the 17 local governments announced by Prof Iwuh, PDP gubernatorial candidate, Peter Mbah won in 9 LGAs while LP gubernatorial candidate Chijioke Edeoga won in 8 LGAs.
However, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu and collation officer for the governorship election in Enugu State, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, said that proceeding will commence Monday morning to allow the commission, attend to the complaints raised by both PDP and Labour Party.
The PDP won in Uzo-Uwani, Ezeagu, Aninri, Udi, Awgu, Nkanu East, Nkanu West Enugu South and Enugu East Local Government Areas
Labour Party on the other hand, took Igboeze North, Igboeze South, Igboetiti, Oji River, Nsukka, Isi-Uzo, Udenu and Enugu North local government areas.
The PDP warned the Labour Party and its governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga against what it termed a do-or-die politics, saying that while the PDP had taken its losses with democratic equanimity, the LP wants INEC to cancel results of places where the LP lost elections.
It said: “Recall that at the state election collation centre on Sunday, the returning officer for Nkanu East LGA, announced that the PDP gubernatorial candidate polled 30,350 votes in his native LGA, Nkanu East, while his LP counterpart polled 1,855 votes to place second.
“However, the LP, while not contesting the total of 30, 294 it recorded in Nsukka LGA, had called on the state returning officer to cancel that of Nkanu East.
“We call on INEC to immediately declare Dr. Ndubuisi Mbah as the governor-elect for Enugu State, having fulfilled all the requirements of the constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.
“We insist that the LP cannot be allowed to derail Enugu’s democratic progress with its do-or-die politics as avowed by its senator-elect, Chief Okey Ezea in a widely circulated video ahead of the governorship election.
“It is noted that the LP candidate won the gubernatorial election in Udenu, the local government of the incumbent governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who is of the PDP extraction and we did not complain.
“The LP also won the Enugu North senatorial seat in the 25th February election against a sitting governor of the PDP extraction, we did not reject their victory.
“Edeoga equally claimed to have garnered 12,518 votes in Isi-Uzo LGA where about half of the registered voters hail from Eha-Amufu and where thousands of people were recently displaced as a result of herdsmen attacks and related security crisis are just beginning to return home in trickles.
“But complaints from Isi-Uzo, especially Eha-Amufu showed that Edeoga militarised the election and forged election results; developments that have been officially communicated to the INEC and the authorities.
“We find it hypocritical on the part of the LP to accept its victory, including the votes it garnered from Nkanu East LGA to emerge the winner in the Enugu East senatorial election held on the same day as the governorship election, but only to reject the result of the governorship election because the PDP candidate expectedly garnered the most votes in his native LGA and stronghold”.
The PDP Campaign Council, warned the Labour Party to stop overheating the polity and accept defeat.
“The LP and its governorship candidate must eschew the do-or-die mentality and acts capable of triggering confusion and political violence in Enugu’s democratic process.
“The INEC is not a Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, hence the LP is advised to stop dragging the election management body and its returning officer beyond their mandate. They should rather approach the Election Petition Tribunal if it feels aggrieved for any reason in the outcome of the governorship election,” the PDP concluded.