By PETER OKUTU

ABAKALIKI – A coalition of opposition political parties that participated in last Saturday’s National Assembly elections in Ebonyi State, yesterday, called on Chairman of the  Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, to cancel the entire election.

The group stated that the cancellation was necessary because the elections, by all standards, did not reflect the true principles and guidelines governing the conduct of credible elections in the country.

In a joint Press conference in Abakaliki, the parties, which included the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, condemned the spate of political violence that took place, especially in Ebonyi Central senatorial zone of the state during the elections.

They  alleged that the present administration in the state rigged the elections by collaborating with security agencies, INEC staff and other relevant organizations.

According to them, “the political parties that took part in the April 9, 2011 National Assembly elections held in Ebonyi State, after a painstaking review of the said election, hereby strongly call for its cancellation because of the widespread and unprecedented massive irregularities and malpractice that characterized it in the state and accordingly reject the result of the election declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“It is sad and regrettable that while the election in other states of the federation is being commended as credible, free and fair by politicians, the electorate, local and international observers, it was a brazen show of shame in Ebonyi State, undertaken with impunity to return the ruling party, PDP, to power by all means, by the combined forces of PDP government officials, the police, the Army and INEC adhoc electoral officials.