APC candidate rejects Ebonyi council polls result

Mr Kelechi Okorie, the All progressive Congress (APC) chairmanship candidate in the last Ebonyi local council polls conducted on Saturday has rejected the result of the polls for Ivo Local government area.

Okorie alleged that the poll was marred with massive electoral fraud in the place.

A statement by his Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity, Prince Williams Ajah, alleged that during the polls an attempt was made on his life at Akaeze community by hoodlums numbering about 15.

It said the attack was carried out when Okorie resisted the stuffing of an electoral box with over 200 hundred thumb-printed ballot papers by a member of the PDP.

“This led to a violent confrontation between the two political parties loyalists; and the hoodlums who were already stationed close by immediately descended on me.

“They attacked me with all kinds of weapons including machetes, clubs, rods, stones etc. I narrowly escaped being killed in my Toyota Camry car which was smashed and shattered beyond recognition’’.

“As long as we are concerned the election was fraught with so many irregularities despite the assurances and directives of the state Governor, Chief David Umahi, that all political parties and candidates in the election be given a level playing ground.

“However, we wish to use this medium to call on our teeming supporters in Ivo LGA to sheath their swords and remain calm as we are exploring every avenue within the ambit of the law to ensure justice is done.

“Our legal team has also been mobilized, and appropriate legal actions are being taken to redress the matter,” he said.

According to the statement, Okorie is recuperating from the trauma at an undisclosed hospital outside the state.

In a reaction, Mr Onyekachi Nwebonyi, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Ebonyi, described the allegations as baseless and unfounded.

He said: “PDP in the state is a peaceful party and could not have endulged in such act.

“The local government election was free, fair and credible. The candidate in question should re-examine the situation and stop blaming anyone for his failure,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria.