People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to upturn the election that produced Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, as the Senator representing Abia North for All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party said that it will not rest until its candidate in the February 23 National Assembly election for Abia North, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, recovers what the party described as a “stolen mandate” from Kalu.

The PDP claimed that it has overwhelming evidence to expose widespread manipulations of the result by the APC candidate, Chief Kalu.

The Abia North Zonal Chairman of PDP, Hon Matthew Ibe, who conveyed the party renewed posture in Abuja, also appealed to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and other party chieftains in the state not to rest until justice is done.

The party assured Senator Ohuabunwa of its unflinching support in his bid to recover his “stolen mandate,” adding that his rival, Kalu of the APC will not get away with the mandate.

The Zonal Chairman had earlier on Monday led a delegation of the zonal leadership and other chieftains of the party on a solidarity visit to the Senator in his Arochukwu country home, saying Abia North PDP as one united family would stop at nothing until “the people’s mandate given to our candidate but forcefully stolen by APC is returned.”

The former lawmaker expressed shock that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), issued a certificate of return to Kalu “even when he was never returned nor declared a winner of the Abia North senatorial contest by the Returning Officer.”

He urged INEC to withdraw Kalu’s certificate of return and organise re-run election in all the polling units and wards where votes were counselled.

“This is the height of impunity and rascality for a man who was never returned in an election to be issued with the certificate of return.

“Kalu only scored the highest number of votes by fraudulently allocating figures to himself but still at that, the 10,000 votes the margin of win remains a far cry from the over 38,000 total number of cancelled votes.

“It is only a question of time and our candidate’s stolen mandate will be restored,” he said.

The PDP Zonal Chairman urged other successful candidates of the party including Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu and his Deputy Ude Oko Chukwu not to abandon the senator but relentlessly sustain their support until his mandate is restored.

Responding, Ohuabunwa thanked the delegation for their solidarity, expressing faith that he would get justice at the tribunal.

He said the position of the law and INEC guideline on the principle of the margin of win was very clear, and “unambiguously makes it illegal” for a candidate to be returned in an election if the margin of win is less than the number of cancelled votes.

Ohuabunwa said: “Kalu knows that what he has is a stolen mandate which he will soon surrender. He knows the truth, but only thinks he can play smart. Unfortunately for him, we are resolute in reclaiming the people’s mandate.” (INDEPENDENT)

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