
The Ortom / Abounu Governorship Campaign Organization last night, 29th March, 2015, received information that the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Ugba, headquarters of Logo local government area had been set ablaze by hoodlums suspected to be supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The sources stated that the office was razed after heavy shooting to scare anyone who was thought to have the courage to challenge the attackers whose target was to destroy results of last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections believed to have been taken there for collation.
Declared results from the wards, from information gathered, indicated that the All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial candidate, Senator Barnabas Gemade, who contested against the current Benue State Governor, Dr Gabriel Suswam who hails from Logo local government area, had emerged victorious and his supporters considered it a disgrace for him to lose election there.
It is regrettable that more of such offices are said to be slated for destruction.
Yesterday our organization had cause to issue a statement alerting stakeholders and members of the public about illegal schemes by PDP agents to prevent results of the election from getting to the local government and central collation centres in Katsina-Ala.
The development is unfortunate, reprehensible and unacceptable to all patriotic citizens.
It beats one’s imagination that anyone would try to subvert the will of the people in a free, fair and transparent election whose results had been announced already at the polling units and ward levels through the destruction of public property where the process could be finalized.
We call on the security and law enforcement agents to apprehend the culprits and bring them to book.
We also urge the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to rely on its results collated at the wards to announce the winner of the election without further delay even as we sympathize with residents of the town on the distress, discomfort, and any other inconvenience caused by the shooting.
APC members and supporters are hereby urged to protect their votes through all legal means including accompanying election materials to their destinations and waiting there until results are officially announced, while Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials who have so far given a good account of themselves have been advised to reject all pecuniary methods to use them to subvert the will of the people.
The Ortom/Abounu Governorship Campaign Organization appreciates the confidence reposed in the APC by the electorate who have expressed a steel determination to effect change and assured that every possible measure will be taken to protect their mandate and also ensure that every vote counts.
Signed :
Tahav Agerzua,
Media Director,
Ortom / Abounu Governorship Campaign Organization.