Delta North: Senatorial Election Was Rigged In Of Favour PDP – Accord Party

BEVERLY HILLS, April 02, (THEWILL) – The end is yet to be heard of last Saturday's Presidential and National Assembly elections in the country as the Delta State chapter of the Accord Party (AP), Thursday, declared that it was robbed of victory by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The party has however expressed its determination to contest the result of Delta North senatorial election, alleging that the PDP robbed Accord Party of victory at the polls by manipulating the results.

The Chairman of Accord Party in the state, David Ashikodi, who made the accusation, said the party has enough evidence to back up its allegations that the election results in Delta North were manipulated by PDP to push the Accord Party's candidate, Rt. Honourable Victor Ochei, who was already coasting home to victory, to the second position behind the PDP's candidate, Peter Nwaoboshi.

According to Ashikodi, “The PDP was desperate to win the election at all costs. Due democratic process was not followed, there were so many anomalies that were anti-democracy. We, as a party, are thinking of contesting the result as announced by INEC. For example, one of the electoral officers that came to present results said there were 20 political parties that contested the senatorial election in Delta North, whereas there were only 12.

“It was the electoral officer of Aniocha South. He said there were 20 political parties that contested the election and votes were allotted to all the 20 parties. When we raised the issue, the returning officer saw my reason, and asked him to go and tidy up his document. This means that results were written, ballot boxes were snatched. They used security operatives to harass our supporters.

“There is no doubt about the fact that my principal, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, won that election for Delta North senatorial seat, but he was denied victory through manipulation. For now, as a party , we are looking at our options, to see how best to contest the result of the election.”

THEWILL recalls that the Presidential Election Returning Officer for Delta State, Professor Bolaji Aluko, while announcing the results of the presidential election on national television said there were clear instances of electoral fraud in the poll in some local governments which forced him to reject results from areas like Ndokwa East and several others in the state.