The Governor accused the returning officer of betraying his trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by her actions before and after the election.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state has challenged Professor Nnenna Oti, the returning officer for the March 18 governorship election in the state, to mention those that attempted to offer her bribe and bully her during the collation of election results in Umuahia, the state capital.
He stated that the returning officer betrayed his confidence in INEC through her actions during and after the election.
Oti, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, (FUTO),Imo State, has been telling stories of how she was bullied , but refused to be intimidated before and during the collation of results in Umuahia.
The Governor, who threw the challenge in a chat with journalists in Umuahia, alleged that Oti clearly came to execute a ‘hatchet job’ against the PDP in the state considering her utterances after the election.
He also accused Oti of participating in the victory dance of the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Dr. Alex Otti, through her actions after the election in contradiction of the expected neutrality of INEC officials.
Ikpeazu disclosed that he had expressed some fears about the returning officer to the INEC authorities but was assured that they have confidence in her.
The Governor also denied meeting or having contacts with the returning officer and accused her of making too much noise out of nothing.
On vehicular and cash gifts which have been donated to the returning officer by some highly placed Abians, after the election,Ikpeazu said; “You know that bribe can come before or after the event.
If I tell you if you do this or if this is the outcome, this is what you will get, it is an inducement. It is also an incentive to behave in a certain way. So, could this be a fulfillment of a promise that if this is the outcome, this is what will happen. I think it is unprecedented, I don’t know where this has happened in Nigeria before”