Enugu guber: CUPP faults IPAC, cautions Iyere | The Guardian Nigeria News

• Don’t deny us our victory in Enugu, LP tells INEC
• HURIWA storms INEC office, demands declaration of results

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has cautioned the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) not to overreach itself over intervention in the controversy surrounding the Enugu State governorship election.

The coalition also took a swipe at Edo State-born activist, Kennedy Iyere, warning that he would be held responsible for any violence and bloodshed in the state.

Chairman of IPAC in Enugu, Edwin Alor, had, at a press briefing, in Enugu, yesterday, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the governorship election winner with already collated results.

IPAC had said the Commission should accept the controversial Nkanu East result and announce a winner. However, at a press briefing, yesterday, CUPP Chairman, Ogbonna Okafor, berated IPAC for acting against its own code of conduct.

Okafor said the revised IPAC code of conduct clearly stated that the group is neither partisan nor aligned to any political party, stressing that those who participated in what he called “infamous statement” in favour of PDP deserve appropriate sanctions as provided in the IPAC new rules.

Okafor said: “It is strange that IPAC, which is an embodiment of political parties, would rush to the media to give an open endorsement to PDP, in a matter that has the Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), among others, as interested parties.

“What they did is an exercise in futility, and should be disregarded by INEC. They merely satisfied those who recruited them.

“CUPP unequivocally denounces the content and essence of that press briefing by a handful of IPAC members. It does not, in any way, represent the stance of the 18 political parties that make up IPAC, CUPP members inclusive.”

MEANWHILE, the National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, yesterday, called out INEC to protect its remaining integrity by not succumbing to pressure to short-change the party of its hard earned victory in Enugu.

Abure, in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja, said it is worrisome that review of the said election process is taking INEC eternity. He said the party has received information that INEC’s ongoing review of the election results in the state is being skewed against LP, and to pave way for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said: “Information reaching our party has it that the ongoing review of the governorship election results from Enugu State by INEC is being tailored towards short-changing LP to favour PDP.

“We do not want to believe the information, though we consider it credible. We are also aware that INEC, having reviewed the information from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and IReV, must now be aware that LP won the election clearly.

ALSO, following the suspension of Enugu State governorship and state Assembly election results collation, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, stormed INEC office in Abuja, and asked the electoral body to release results already collated.

The civil rights advocacy group also said INEC must do the needful, since it has already stated that results would be announced when collation resumes by 05:00 p.m. yesterday.

National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, led the protest, carrying placards with inscriptions such as: “INEC release Enugu governorship results,” “Stop ploy against South East,” among others.

Onwubiko warned the electoral umpire not to give in to pressure by desperate and powerful politicians, who want to install and impose their candidates over the collective will of the people.