Police, party differ over alleged possession of election results

THE Delta State Chairman of Labour Party, Chief Tony Ezeagwu has been quizzed by the police over the reported discovery of election result sheets in the hotel room of a top member of the opposition party in the state.

While maintaining his innocence, Ezeagwu insisted that the “documents were planted by by some crooked members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The prime suspect, Onodawerho Esiri was arrested in Asaba for allegedly possessing sensitive electoral documents that have relationship with this year’s governorship and House of Assembly elections conducted in the state.

A police report, dated 25th June 2015, listed the items recovered to include 47 completed copies of original result sheet, otherwise known as Form EC8A for the governorship election held in parts of Warri South; 16 copies of Form EC8A (1) for the House of Assembly held in parts of Warri South; seven duly filled copies of Form EC8 for the governorship election polls conducted in parts of Ughelli North Local Council of the state.

A certified true copy, signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Hafiz M. Inuwa and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, stated that a prima facie case of forgery and falsification had been established against the suspects.

The police noted that the sensitive materials were exclusively for INEC’s custody, adding that whoever stole the result sheet was “the person that stands to gain advantage at the Electoral Petition Tribunal if INEC could not produce the result sheets when the tribunal demands for them.”

The report added that the electoral body had declared 117 result sheets missing after taking stock of its strong room

Ezeagwu, however, maintained that the police curiously broke into the suspect’s hotel room while away “after the whistleblowers had successfully planted the incriminating documents.”

“The documents were allegedly discovered after we filed our case at the tribunal. The police broke into Esiri’s hotel room while he was away. I mean…they ought to have waited for him before breaking the room and not in absentia. The documents were planted by the PDP members in connivance with the police. The police came shortly after Esiri went out. I was released on June 29 after writing a statement based on self-recognition,” he clarified.