A statement signed by the National Co-ordinators for the groups, Obong Okon Edet Okon and Preye Tamuno respectively, accused the EOM and other foreign observer missions of over-stepping their duties by calling for the cancellation of election results that had been declared by the appropriate bodies.
In a joint statement, they said that the European and other foreign observer missions should know that once election results are duly declared, it is only the function of the appropriate tribunals that can annul the outcome of such elections.
The statement said: “If the election observers discover faults, such faults or irregularities could be isolated and could not generally affect the outcome of the elections.
“We have had course to observe elections outside Nigeria and we know our bounds.
“To therefore call for the cancellation of governorship elections that had been declared by the constitutional recognised bodies is nothing but to cause unnecessary tensions in the country. They should know that if they discover anything that is contrary to the elections, the best thing to do in line with the guidelines is for them to report to Election Management Body (EMB) their observations and not cause tensions in the country. Nigeria is a sovereign body and there is a rule of engagements governing all elections.”
Meanwhile, following violence that characterised the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom State and several allegations of malpractices against the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), the governorship candidate of the APC in the state, Umana Umana, has called for total cancellation of the elections.
He said voting did not take place in the state.
Umana, who addressed journalists in Lagos on Monday, argued that what happened in Akwa Ibom State on Saturday could only be described as state terrorism and not electioneering process.
He said the 2015 gubernatorial and state House of Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom State failed to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.
The governorship candidate identified non-availability of elections materials in many polling units in all the three senatorial units; snatching of ballots boxes and sensitive election materials and violence as the problems that marred the election process.
“Eye witness reports confirmed hooligans brandishing gun and other dangerous weapons in order to disperse INEC officials, voters and observers from various polling units, ballot boxes and other elections materials were seized and carted way to unknown destinations for thumb printing,” he narrated.
Umana emphatically stated that elections did not take place in the whole of 31 local councils of the state considering reports from voters and other observers across the state.
Earlier, on Sunday, INEC declared the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Udom Emmanuel winner of the election with a total of 996,071 votes from the 31 local government areas in the state while the APC polled 89,865 votes.
But Umana has rejected the results, showing journalists video and photographs of how hoodlums allegedly chased away voters.
“What rather took place was act of terrorism against the good people of Akwa Ibom.”
He specifically mentioned the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gabriel Achong and the official in charge of ICT at INEC in Akwa Ibom State as accomplices to the “electoral fraud.”
Umana challenges INEC to investigate the whereabouts of the REC by 10.pm when himself and Etiebet visited the office last Saturday.
“Why should INEC office be in darkness on the day of elections by 10.pm when the process of results collation should be ongoing? Why should INEC office be under keys and lock by that time of the day? Why did they refuse to open INEC office gate for us when we came to drop petitions,” he queried.
He requested that the REC be interrogated.
