BY PETER OKUTU

ABAKALIKI – THE governorship candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, in Ebonyi State, Ambassador Franklin Ogbuewu, said weekend that he lost the gubernatorial election in the state because of text meesages allegedly sent by opponents to people of the state that he had stepped down for his counterpart in All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP on the day of polling.

He described the text messages as an act of political assassination, adding that it was a detraction that cost him and the party victory at the polls.

Ogbuewu made this known in Abakaliki while speaking with newsmen on the circumstances surrounding the just concluded governorship election in the state.

He said: “On April 26, a destructive text message was sent to mobile phone subscribers in Ebonyi State that the gubernatorial candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Ebonyi State, Amb. Frank Nchita Ogbuewu, has stepped down for the candidate of the All Nigerian Peoples Party. This is equal to an assassination, a scandalous attack and detraction that cost the candidate and the party victory at the polls.

“This they stole by throwing open the state treasury, distributing money at the polling station while accreditation is going on and busied themselves sending text messages they know that are not true.”

The governorship candidate of APGA in the state alleged that in Ezza North, Ezza South, Onicha, Ishielu, Ohaozara, Izzi and Ebonyi local government areas, massive rigging took place by way of thumb-printing of ballot papers, adding that APGA members were highly intimidated and oppressed by  security agents, including  the Police and Army.