Anambra Election: Orumba North LGA Result Was Signed at Gunpoint, says INEC official

Dr. Michael Otu, the returning officer for Orumba North LGA, startled stakeholders at the Anambra State governorship election collation center on Sunday by denouncing the result he signed. He stated that he did not believe in the outcome.

He accused the electoral officer who was meant to work with him of conspiring with others to tamper with the election results in the region.

It was brought to the notice of WithinNigeria that at the ongoing election result collation, Dr. Michael Otu mentioned this while giving his report to the State Returning Officer, Prof. Florence Obi.

He stated that no election was held in the entire local government region.

He said that a police-instigated crisis forced him to sign the document under duress.

“I signed a report in which I didn’t believe.” I had to sign it under duress. I was teargassed. I was imprisoned in the restroom until a police officer sneaked me out.

“I couldn’t even go outside to relieve myself.” They were keeping an eye on me at all times. When I realized that my life was in risk, I was forced to sign the results they had produced.

“I called out to my colleagues to let them know I was in danger here,” he explained.

In response to the claim, the electoral officer, who did not provide her name, accused the returning officer of not knowing anything about election results collation.

“This individual here has said so many derogatory things about me. But, as far as I can tell, he has no prior expertise compiling election results.

“This man doesn’t know left from right.” The end outcome is rife with mutilation. He is oblivious to the distinction between organizing elections and gathering results.

Prof. Florence Obi stated that she was informed of the local government situation.

“This is the only local government from which I received a distress call, and I had to phone the commissioner of police and inform him that the lives of my employees were in risk,” she explained.

As things stand, no winner has been announced for the Orumba and Ihiala local government districts, implying that no winner would emerge from the poll today.

The APGA candidate received 4826 votes to secure the council seat, according to the results announced at the INEC LG office in Ajalli. The APC received 2692 votes, while the PDP received 1,863 votes.