‘They Came With Threats, Money’ — Abia REC Speaks On Collation Of Guber Results

The Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Professor Nnenna Oti has said she was offered money and threatened to compromise the Abia governorship election but refused.

She disclosed this at her triumphant entry to the school on Tuesday.

Prof. Oti was given a hero’s welcome back to the institution by staff and students.

The staff and students of Federal University of Technology, FUTO, Owerri, on Tuesday gave Professor Nnenna Oti a hero’s welcome back to the institution.

In a video clip, people were seen dancing and chanting songs with a banner with the inscription “Welcome back Nnenna Oti, Heroine of Nigeria Democracy.”

Speaking while being welcomed by the staff and students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Oti, who is the Vice Chancellor, said before the final declaration of the result, she was promised huge monetary inducement to change the will of Abia people.

“As an electoral officer, I have never in my life participated in any election, but duty came calling, I made my enquiries from Abuja,” Oti said.

“If I perish, I perish, they came with their threats, they came with their money, they came with their intimidation.”

She stated that she stood on her ideals and principles not to short-change anyone and ensured that the will of the people of Abia prevailed and that their votes counted during the election.

“I didn’t start today; I stand here before God, Jesus Christ. I have never defrauded anyone, all l I did was to declare the riot act as follows: Under me, votes must count. Under me, the people’s mandate will be upheld because I, Professor Nnnena Oti, can never do evil,” she said.

In the results declared by the INEC, Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP) 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.