'Yakubu, come and see your mate o' - Claps for Return Officer Oti as she confirmed turning down monetary offers not to declare LP candidate winner of Abia polls

Nigerians on social media have hailed INEC's Returning Officer in Abia State, Nnenna Oti as she recounted her experience in the just concluded governorship election.

Recall that Oti 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.”

She said in the video that has since gone viral: "They came with their threats, they came with their money, they came with their intimidation."

Social media reacts

macdozzy wrote: "Come be like say women come get sense pass dis men"

stacy33_ said: "Women get ready because it seems you people are the ones that will deliver Nigeria"

Tonia.gram wrote: "A queen I Stan. She should be the current INEC chairman instead"

chyomss said: "Yakubu Mahmoud, come and see your mate ooo"

omabarbie1 commented: "She is a Hero"