APC leader tells Ihedioha to accept defeat

A leader of the All Progressives Congress in Imo State, Chief Emma Ezeonyeasi, has told the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, to sheathe his sword and concede defeat, having lost in the April 25, 2015 re-run election in the state.The Independent National Electoral Commission, through its Imo State Returning Officer, Prof. Ibidapo Obe, had declared Governor Rochas Okorocha of the APC as the winner of the poll with 416,996 votes against Ihedioha’s 320,705.Ezeonyeasi said Okorocha would always defeat Ihedioha even if the election is cancelled and another rerun is held.He advised Ihedioha against going to court, saying the re-run election is free and fair.Ihedioha, in a message to the people of Imo State, had decried instances of alleged electoral malpracticesduring the election, alleging that the INEC’s staff connived with APC to manipulate results already declared in favour of the PDP.Also in the message, Ihedioha pointed at the arrest of armed persons impersonating police officers and recorded inducement of INEC workers at the Government House as well as the alleged public confession of INEC returning officers, who he said were forced at gun point to declare false results for the APC.“These were electoral malpractices that eroded the validity and credibility of the exercise,” Ihedioha noted.But Ezeonyeasi said that the victory of Okorocha was clear and wondered why his PDP opponent should speak evil of the election.