APGA Candidate Ifeanyi Eleje Criticizes Conduct of Ebonyi South Senatorial District Rerun Election

Ifeanyi Eleje, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Ebonyi South senatorial district rerun election, has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the election process, describing it as “hugely flawed” and “marred by intimidation.”

Speaking to newsmen in Afikpo on Saturday, Eleje expressed dismay over the conduct of the election, particularly criticizing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly instructing voters to vote and leave without proper accreditation details.

“This is the first election I witnessed where INEC was telling voters to vote and go.

Does it mean that the accreditation details would be used for thumbprints?” Eleje questioned, highlighting his worries about the transparency of the voting process.

He further stated that despite reporting these issues to the INEC leadership in the state, he had not received the promised response, adding that the election, being an off-season one, should have been more effectively conducted.

“The use of authority to intimidate voters was evident in this election, as in all off-season elections, leading to low voter turnout,” Eleje noted, expressing concerns about how this might impact the election results.

However, Christian Elekwa, the Head of Voter Education and Publicity Department of INEC in the state, refuted Eleje’s allegations, emphasizing that the commission should not be associated with such practices.

Elekwa clarified that the approved practice was for voters to be accredited and allowed to vote immediately, dismissing any insinuations of wrongdoing by INEC.