By Anayo Okoli

UMUAHIA—FIVE political parties that participated in the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections in Abia State have called for total cancellation of the election.

They also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a re-run of the election.

“There were no elections in Abia State on April 11, 2015, as the people of Abia State were not allowed to exercise their franchise on the election day and we call on all well meaning Nigerians to add their voice to the call for total cancellation and a re-run in the state,” the parties alleged.

The protesting parties are APC, UPP, NCP, PDC and Labour Party

Addressing journalists in Umuahia weekend, some governorship and House of Assembly candidates of the parties, however, commended the people of  the state for standing their ground to resist the massive rigging in the state.

Their spokesman and governorship candidate of UPP, Chief Mgbeahurukwe-Dike Ogbuehi, said:  “Abia embraced the change blowing in Abia, and indeed Nigeria”, and resisted the usual rigging of elections in the state.

“We wish to remind the Government in power that it is no longer business as usual, where you just churn out results the way you like and ask your co-contestants to go to court.

“We commend the INEC for the introduction of the Card Reader as it has gone a long way in reducing electoral malpractices in the system.
“Furthermore, we demand that all those involved in the electoral malpractices in Abia State should not be part of the re-run and should be prosecuted according to the law of the land.”