INEC should explain my defeat by LP – Abia Rep

Lawmaker representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives, Samuel Onuigbo.

The lawmaker representing Ukwuano/Umuahia Constituency of Abia State  in the National Assembly, Sam Onuigbo, has questioned his defeat by the candidate of the Labour Party, Darlington Nwokocha, in last Saturday’s senatorial election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Nwokocha as the winner for  Abia Central Senatorial District.

Onuigbo, who disagreed with the announcement by INEC, said the electoral umpire must explain to him how he lost to the LP candidate.

Speaking at a press conference in Umuahia on Wednesday, Onuigbo contended that “INEC failed to include the name of my party in the result sheet for the 2023 Abia Central Senatorial District election. Consequently, the documentation of my scores in the election was shambolic.”

He said the situation made a mess of the votes cast for him by his supporters.

“This puzzle should be resolved by INEC and the leadership of my party, APC, that made no effort to correct the anormaly at the appropriate time.

“It is very astonishing that the conduct of last Saturday’s elections left much to be desired as INEC failed in its statutory responsibility of ensuring free, fair and credibie polls.

“I am consulting with my attorneys on the appropriate response to this grave omission. Let me state in clear terms that I reject, in its totality, the strange figure of 7,997 votes as manufactured and allocated to me and my party by INEC in an effort to save their face.”