Nnenna Oti, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer in Abia State, has recounted her experience in the just concluded governorship election.
Recalls that amidst the delay and anxiety in announcing the state results, Oti stood her ground, insisting that the people’s votes would count.
While announcing the result, she said: “I shall stand squarely and unapologetically on these principles. The people’s votes and mandate shall stand.
“The pastor and the mother in me will not permit me to do anything that will adversely affect the future of our children”
In the results declared by 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.
In a video that surfaced online, staff and students of the Federal University of Technology, FUTO, Owerri, on Tuesday gave Nnenna Oti a hero’s welcome back to the institution.
People were seen dancing and chanting songs with a banner with the inscription “Welcome back Nnenna Oti, Heroine of Nigeria Democracy.”
Speaking in one of the videos, Nnenna recounted how some political parties came with threats, money, and intimidation but she refused to be moved.