As the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) issued certificates of return to the 17 chairmanship candidates of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) Friday, the chairmanship candidate of All Peoples Congress (APC) for Ukwa West, Engr. Chinwe Uruakpa Sterling,

has rejected the outcome of the Local Government election in the council.

Reacting to the result of the polls as announced by the ABSIEC Chairman, Justice Igbozuruike Akomas, early Thursday morning, to the effect that the Chairmanship candidate of the PDP, Goodluck Nwobuiwe, dusted his rivals in the Wednesday, December 21, 2016 Local Government polls in Ukwa West, Sterling maintained that there was no election in any part of the local government.

According to him, election materials delivered to the council were destroyed by the fire which burnt down the ABSIEC office in Okeikpe, the council headquarters Wednesday afternoon.

He called on the ABSIEC to fix a new date for a fresh election in the area as anything contrary would amount to courting violence.

The APC candidate who bared his mind on the Ukwa West poll in a Short Message Service (SMS) to newsmen stated: “There was no election in Ukwa West LGA, no ad-hoc workers or electoral officers visited any polling unit. The fire incident that started at about 12 pm (Wednesday) destroyed most of the materials for the conduct of the elections.

“I am unequivocally saying that a new date be given for a fresh election in the LGA. Ukwa West is known as peaceful local government and we will not tolerate any activities that will take away the peace of the land.”

He said the Electoral Officer for the council arrived at about 4pm, stressing that no election held in Ukwa West. However, the Publicity Secretary of PDP, Sir Don Ubani, who hails from the Local Government, told newsmen on phone Wednesday that the election was orderly and peaceful in the Local Government.

ABSIEC Chairman had earlier told newsmen that he was not favourably disposed to calls for cancellation of the election for any reason, advising candidates and political parties aggrieved by the outcome to seek redress in the tribunals that have already been put in place.

Meanwhile, the 17 PDP Chairmanship candidates who were victorious at polls have been issued with Certificates of Return.

Akomas issued them with the certificates Friday at the ABSIEC office on Library road in Umuahia Friday. He said that the issuance of the certificates were part of the electoral process.

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