The last may not have been heard about the peculiarities of the just-concluded 2023 General Elections.
While some people are still talking about the crisis and intimidations that characterised the elections in many parts of the country, there seems to be another news about happenings in Abia State, where the results of the governorship election was announced on Wednesday.
The news revolves around a businessman, who felt that a good act should be rewarded despite the negative reports that marred the elections in many states.
Steven Ukpabi, an Aba-based businessman, on Thursday, March 23, 2023 sprung a surprise as he gifted a brand new Prado jeep to INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Nnenna Oti, for her integrity, and refusal to compromise the Abia governorship election results.
He wrote, “For your outstanding service to the people of Abia, I hereby request for this Prado to be delivered to Mrs Nnenna Nnennaya Oti immediately.
Thank you for your service in Abia,” he stated.
But we were yet to be informed, as at the time of this report, if the woman accepted the gift as it might be seen to be a form of gratification, which is against the ethics of the job.
N100m GIFT: Former APGA Governorship Aspirant, Chikwe Udensi Gifts FUTO VC, Prof. Nnenna Oti N100m
This is the time for gifting for the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO and Returning Officer for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Nnenna Oto, as another individual has indicated interest in blessing her with a whopping of N100million.
According to a one time Governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Sir Chikwe Udensi the gifted is in appreciation of her integrity and honesty as INEC governorship returning officer in Abia State, “Precious Eze’s Blog” reports.
Prof. Nnenna Oti had presided over the collation of the March 18 governorship election in Abia state which produced Alex Otti of Labour Party as the winner, scoring a total of 175,466 to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the PDP, Okey Ahiwe who scored 88,526.
Prof. Oti, declared the LP candidate the winner at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Umuahia, the state capital, Wednesday afternoon after completing the suspended collation of results, making Abia the first governorship seat secured by Labour Party in the 2023 general elections.
This is also as the first time an opposition party is winning the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State since the return of democracy in 1999. The INEC returning officer, Prof. Oti was said to have rejected monetary inducements from all corners to influence the outcome of the election in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
It is not clear yet if the erudite professor would take any of the gifts being sent her way, especially with her firm stand on such things.
