The candidate of the main opposition Labour Party in Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, is maintaining a comfortable lead in 10 Local Government Areas in the March 18 governorship poll according to the results so far declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
According to the results announced by the various Local Government Collation Officers at the State Collation Centre at INEC headquarters Umuahia on Sunday, Otti polled a total of 66,024 votes to stay on top.
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He was closely followed by Chief Okey Ahiwe of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, who secured a total of 52,849 votes in the affected 10 LGAs.
Results from seven LGAs are still being awaited.
The LGAs won by the ruling PDP include Isiala Ngwa North, the home LGA of its governorship candidate, Chief Okey Ahiwe; Ukwa East; Isiala Ngwa South, where the LP candidate, Dr Alex Otti hails from; Ukwa West; and Ugwunagbo.
LGAs swept by LP include Umunneochi, Arochukwu, Isuikwuato, Ikwuano and Bende.
Meanwhile, the State Presiding Officer and Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, Professor Nnenna Oti, has adjourned collation till 6:00 pm to allow for more results from the remaining LGAs to come in.
Some of the Collation Officers said some polling units results were cancelled following allegations of violence, rigging, snatching of ballot papers and BVAS machine.
Following serious contention by the State Collation agent of the Labour Party, Hon. Acho Obioma who alleged that the over 21,000 votes scored by the PDP in Isiala Ngwa North was manufactured, the Retuning Officer suspended it.
But after counter arguments by the PDP Collation Agent, Charles Esomonu, it was later admitted after the Collation Officer, Dr Dozie Ndubuisi re-presented if after effecting necessary corrections and reports of alleged incidents in the LGA.
