Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the results of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Primaries held on Monday over alleged voter disenfranchisement and irregularities.
Amaechi who had initially expressed readiness to accept the outcome of the election recanted his statement as he maintained that the election was free and fair.
In a statement issued on Tuesday ahesd of the announcement of the final result, Amaechi maintained that he had only agreed to accept the result if the election was free, fair and transparent.
He cited alleged widespread voters disenfranchisement across the country as reason behind his rejection of the result.
“Following reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement in most parts of the country during the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Primaries yesterday, I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced.
“I had initially stated that I will only accept the outcome of the Primaries if the process was free, fair, and transparent, and I stand by my word.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold, to rescue Nigerians from the impunity and gross mismanagement that our country is currently facing in the hands of the ruling party.” Amaechi said.
The former Minister of Transportation claimed that 80 percent of the ADC members were not allowed to vote during the election.
He held that party is threading the path of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with alleged vote buying, writing of results, and other electoral malpractices.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results.
“Then what makes us different from the others? The whole idea of the ADC was to give the Nigerian people a platform, to amplify the voices of the downtrodden, and make Nigeria a better place for everyone irrespective of backgrounds, ethnicity, or religion.
“A party that criticizes the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results, cannot be engaged in vote buying, writing of results, and other electoral malpractices that leads to the disenfranchisement of voters who are party members. This is not acceptable!” He said.
– Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi