The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Saturday’s Aba North/South Federal Constituency by-election in Abia State, Hon. Mascot Uzor Kalu, has appealed to his followers to accept the result in good faith.
Chimaobi Ebisike of the Peoples Democratic Party was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In a statement he personally signed on Sunday, Hon. Kalu said though he has enough evidence to challenge in court the outcome of the election, which he claimed was fraught with electoral malpractices and violence, he would not be doing so.
“This is to allow the declared winner to concentrate and provide good representation and infrastructure to the good people of Aba,” he said.
He added: “We appeal to our members to accept the outcome of the elections in good faith while appreciating them for making the Party stronger in Abia.
“While the opposition wanted the election at all cost, we chose life over bloodshed and therefore won lives and lost the polls. To us, that was a greater victory.”
Kalu, however, called for “deeper review” of the nation’s electoral laws, which he claimed render security agencies incapable of effectively handling violence perpetrated at the polls.
“The level of thuggery, violence and rigging that occurred in the election calls for a deeper review of our electoral laws. All Nigerians should support the electoral laws that are being amended as it would assist us in getting our democracy strengthened,” he said.
He cited many instances where his opponents allegedly flooded the city with thugs; how traders were threatened with text messages to keep away from the polls or lose their lives; how his campaign officers and party agents were kidnapped, among other measures allegedly used by his opponents.
Kalu commended the electoral commission and the security agents and thanked the National Chairman of the party’s Caretaker Extraordinary Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State; Aba North and South party chairmen; and all party faithful for their support in the election.
He also congratulated the declared winner of the election, Ebisike, and the PDP, “not because they won but because it’s gentlemanly to do so.”
