Onoja protests David Mark’s victory

The candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the April 9 senatorial election in Benue South, Maj-Gen. Lawrence Onoja (retd), has formally rejected the result of the election. Onoja, who was accompanied by two aides, submitted a three-page petition to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja on Tuesday. But the Director of Publicity, David Mark Campaign Organisation, Mr. Adakole Elijah, described the petition as frivolous. He said it was sad that the retired general was yet to purge himself of his military mentality. He accused Onoja of seeing politics as a military campaign where victory was the only acceptable outcome. Onoja alleged that there were malpractices which, he said, robbed the election of credibility. The petition dated April 10, addressed to the chairman the INEC was titled, ‘Electoral Malpractice by candidate/Peoples Democratic Party with some INEC officials in collaboration against the candidate/Action Congress of Nigeria in Benue South Senatorial District: A call for intervention. Shortly after submitting the protest letter, Onoja addressed journalists at a press conference, where a mild drama ensued as a detachment of policemen led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of INEC Headquarters, Mr. Chuks Enwonwu, accosted the General in an attempt to stop the media parley. But Onoja would have none of it; he lectured them on civility and the need to allow people to freely express themselves. In the petition, Onoja said, “I contested the senatorial election in Benue South Senatorial District on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria after which the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party was wrongly declared winner.” The petition pointed out how the election was rigged. “In Ado Local Government, material required for the election got there at 3pm and distribution of the same started at 6pm. “Accreditation started about 7pm and voting continued even beyond 10pm. “In the local government we have video clips of the molestation and torture of other parties’ supporters particularly those of ACN agents. INEC officials displayed outright bias and partisanship during the election in the area. “A former President of the Senate and also an indigene of the Local Government, Senator Ameh Ebute, was physically forcing voters to thumb print for PDP.” Reacting to the allegations, Elijah said, “Onoja is merely displaying his state of primitivity by refusing to adhere to democratic tenets. “Onoja has refused to purge himself of the military mentality. He sees the election as a battle he as a retired general must win. “When we were going round campaigning telling people that their long held dream of Apa State was achievable, he said it was impossible.” By John Alechenu, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch