Political bombshell: APC, Labour clash over alleged 2027 Bende plot!
The APC in Abia State has alleged a plot by the Labour Party to disrupt the collation of election results at the Bende INEC centre, ahead of the 2027 general elections. The Labour Party has strongly denied these claims, accusing the APC of creating unnecessary tension in the state. Both parties are now calling for security and protection of electoral facilities and personnel.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) in Abia State are embroiled in a bitter exchange of allegations concerning plans to disrupt the collation of election results. The controversy centers on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation centre located in Bende. The APC initiated the accusations, claiming the Labour Party intended to disrupt the collation process and set ablaze the Bende Local Government headquarters, which has historically served as the INEC collation centre.
The APC, through its State Publicity Secretary, Chief Uche Aguoru, further alleged that the Labour Party, anticipating defeat in the 2027 election, had fabricated a petition to INEC. This purported petition, falsely attributed to the APC, called for the relocation of the Bende Collation Centre to Umuahia, citing an alleged plan to burn the Bende Local Government headquarters. Alternatively, the petition suggested moving the collation centre to an open central school in Bende town if relocation to Umuahia was not feasible. The APC urged INEC to reject this petition, labeling it as fake and unfounded, and called upon security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Abia State Commissioner of Police, to investigate its origin and ensure the security of the collation centre. The party viewed this alleged petition as an attempt to create confusion and disrupt the electoral process in Bende, additionally urging the Inspector-General of Police to caution the Labour Party against inciting a crisis.
In response, the Labour Party vehemently denied all allegations, accusing the APC of deliberately creating tension through false alarms. Emenike Iroegbu, the LP State Publicity Secretary, issued a statement condemning the APC for what he described as “deliberately inciting hatred, brewing bad blood and manufacturing false alarm” capable of disturbing peaceful coexistence in Abia State. The LP suggested that the APC's claims were a desperate measure following the failure of its