Professor Nnenna Oti, the Returning Officer for the Abia State governorship election for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has recalled how she urged that votes be counted during the recently concluded election.
Oti, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, stated that despite being given money and blackmailed, she refused to compromise the Abia governorship election.
At her return to school on Tuesday, the Vice Chancellor announced this to students.
Students and faculty at the university had given their Vice Chancellor a hero’s welcome.
In a viral video, Oti said: “As an electoral officer, I have never in my life taken part in any election but duty came calling.”
“I made my enquires from Abuja and I said ‘If I perish, I perish’…
“They (names withheld) came with their threats, money, and intimidation but I stood my ground.”
“I didn’t start today. I stand here before God and Jesus Christ, I have never defrauded anyone.”
“I said under me, votes must count.”
The Labour Party, LP, governorship candidate in Abia State, Alex Otti defeated his opponents Okey Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Enyinnaya Nwafor of the Young Peoples Party (YPP) with 175, 467 votes to emerge the winner.
