Abia: Protests, box snatching, intimidation rock election

Posted by admin Abia, Elections 2011, State News Sunday, April 10th, 2011

The National Assembly election in Abia State, especially in the Abia North and Abia South constituencies, was greeted by protests, allegations of ballot box snatching and intimidation.

Security was tight throughout the state, as stern-looking soldiers and riot policemen in armoured vehicles took position in strategic locations.

In Abia North constituency, which had the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, and former governor of the state, Chief Orji Kalu of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, slugging it out for the senatorial slot, protests and intimidation of party agents and voters were recorded at many polling units in zone.

Specifically, in Umunneochi area, a PPA agent, Mr. Chukwumwerije Dickson, alleged that at Ezigodo, Umuada town hall, a member of the House of Representatives, Nkeiru Onyejeocha, visited polling booths with thugs in 18-seater buses.

She was alleged to have given instruction at the town hall that nobody should vote for any other party except the PDP.

Dickson said that the thugs asked him to leave but because he refused, he was beaten into a state of stupor.

“When I was revived by sympathisers, I could not go back there. Their intention was to kill,” he alleged.

But Onyejeocha denied the allegation, saying that the security agents were on ground and that the incident did not occur.

She said, “It is a lie. They are serious blackmailers. Right now, we are voting and everything is moving fine. I just went to cast my vote.

“Initially, people were protesting because of late accreditation. After about 12.30pm, those who could not be accredited became agitated. I saw a person, who was being beaten and drew the attention of the security agents to control the situation.”

In Ugunagbo, Abia South, the PPA governorship candidate, Mr. Chris Akomas, accused a PDP agent, Mr. Ezebunwa Ubani, of taking away result sheets from wards 7 and 8, while soldiers allegedly chased away voters.

He also alleged that Ubani carried away election materials in ward 4, units 6, 7 and 8.

Ubani could not, however, be reached for his comments on the allegations. When a call was put through to his telephone line, it indicated that it was switched off.

In Ania Ward in Ohafia, the Attorney-General of the state, Mr. Umeh Kalu, was accused of using security agents to prevent non-supporters of PDP from voting.

Kalu, however, denied the allegation, saying he was neither in control of the army nor the police.

In Obingwa, Abia South, alleged attempts by people suspected to be PDP agents to replace the National Youth Service Corps members, who served as ad hoc staff, with their associates triggered violence as youths in the area resisted the move.

However, Orji Kalu protested the alleged use of security forces to intimidate his supporters

-Guardianwp_posts