The Returning Officer for the Imo West Senatorial District election on Saturday, Prof. Innocent Ibeawuchi, has asserted that he was held hostage for about 16 hours to declare Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State the winner of the poll.
He said he was held hostage from 7.00 p.m. on Sunday to 11.00 a.m. on Monday.
Ibeawuchi said he had to yield to the pressure despite the fact that the election was inconclusive as a result of alleged gross electoral malpractices in no fewer than eight local government areas of the state.
The returning officer who spoke with journalists on Monday said he, however, had to yield to pressure and declare the Imo State governor the winner because he was afraid he might lose his life.
The results released by Ibeawuchi show that Okorocha recorded 97,762 votes to beat Jone Onyereri of the Peoples Democratic Party who recorded 68,117 votes.
The All Progressive Grand Alliance’s candidate, Osita Izunaso, recorded 30,084 votes.
His words: “I was compelled to announce the result, which was inconclusive.
“I am a man of integrity and it is not true that the governor slapped me but I was held hostage by agents working for him.
“I was manhandled and I thank God I came back alive.”
Okorocha has however debunked the allegation of holding the returning officer hostage.
He described the returning officer as a blooding liar who might be acting a script.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha said: “Having won in nine out of the 12 local government areas announced, we heard that they were trying to move the result sheets to Owerri but when we demanded an explanation, the man (Ibeawuchi) said he was tired and didn’t feel safe, when nobody was threatening him. At the end, we discovered that he didn’t have the declaration sheet. I wonder where this is taking us. I hope INEC would change this system because we will resist them if they try it in the next election.
“They should examine the returning officer to know his mental state. If he doesn’t have a mental illness, then he must be a criminal to ever think of that. How could someone ask you to change the result of an election he has already won? My score is above 90,000 and the nearest to me is slightly above half of it, when you combine both Jones and Izunaso’s votes. They can’t match or contest against me in Imo State not to talk of Orlu zone.
“I asked the Resident Electoral Commissioner here to quickly correct these anomalies. The returning officer is a bloody liar who may be acting a script.”
