A lecturer of the Department of Philosophy in the University of Calabar, Gabriel Agabi Akwaji has been arrested by the police in Cross River State for allegedly impersonating an ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Dr. Dominic Abakedi, in the Presidential and National Assembly polls held on Saturday February 25.
Akwaji, who wore INEC reflective jacket, was arrested at the collation centre in Okpoma, Yala Local Government Area of state with a fake Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System, BVA Machine.
Trouble began when the collation officer could not be found after elections concluded at 6:00PM on Saturday. Mr. Akwaji is said to have arrived the Okpoma, Yala Local Government Area headquarters at about 2:00 PM on Sunday in the company of chieftains of a political party after staying incommunicado since Saturday evening.
Thereafter, Mr. Akwaji was arrested and brought to the INEC Area Office in Ogoja, where he claimed he was asked by Dr. Abakedi to replace him.
A BVAS found in his possession with the following number, 09/18/10/012 was queried and showed that 216 voters were accredited but the result sheets showed 250 votes cast.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in charge of elections in the district, Zannah Shettima, declined comment on the matter, adding that he was yet to be briefed.
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