AbductedReturning Officer escapes to Abuja

THE allegedly abducted Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)s Returning Officer for Ika federal constituency in Delta State, Dr Godwin Avwioro, has escaped to Abuja.He was reportedly abducted last week Sunday  at Ika collation centre, where he announced the cancellation of the result of Ika North-East federal constituency because of electoral malpractices.Recounting his ordeal to newsmen in Abuja, on Thursday, Avwioro said his life was under threat, including that of his aged mother, saying that he had been on medication.According to him, trouble started when he publicly announced that some chieftains of  a political party changed all the youth corps members sent to the area, prepared uniforms for fake corps members believed to be brothers and sisters of party candidates and made him to sign the result under duress.He said: My attention was brought to the fact that some corps members were protesting the substitution of their names on the  INEC ad hoc staff list, a few days before the election.Their names were substituted with  the names of brothers and sisters and those close to the people contesting.The Delta State police command had arrested one suspect in connection with the kidnapping. He is currently being interrogated at the Police Headquarters, Asaba.Avwioro said he had personally petitioned  INECs chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, over the matter and action was being taken to address the issue.Avwioro, who thanked the police for their prompt response that saved his life and that of his aged mother, stated that contrary to earlier reports that he was detained by the police, he was actually under police custody in Asaba police headquarters.He said: I have heard  that I was detained by the police. What was done by the police was for my protection. I slept at the police station in Agbor, and the police headquarters, Asaba and what was done, was for my protection.
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