From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the Mbaitoli / Ikeduru federal constituency of Imo state Hon Uche Ogbuagu has raised the the alarm of the APC recruiting thugs to rig the re – run of the polls scheduled for Saturday ,18 March .
Hon Ogbuagu who currently represents Ikeduru state constituency and former Majority Leader of the Imo state House of Assembly said he has also petitioned the Inspector – General of Police Usman Baba Alkali, the Chief of Army Staff, Lucky Irabor , Director- General of the Department of State Services ,Assistant Inspector – General in charge of Zone 9 and even the National Security Adviser to intervene and forestall looming mayhem over the re- run
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) had declared the Poll held on 25 February inconclusive and rescheduled a re- run for 18 March in 58 polling units across the federal constituency, where elections did not hold as result of irregularities and the absence of electoral officials .
Addressing Journalists yesterday at his country Home in Akabo, Ikeduru council area of Imo state Hon Ogbuagu alleged that Chief Charles Amadi , a chieftain of the APC whose son Engr Akarachi Amadi is a candidate in the election have recruited thugs with which to rig the supplementary polls next Saturday.
In the petition to the Commander 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze Owerri which copies were made available to Journalists at the Press conference, Hon Ogbuagu said he has an impeccable evidence that Charles Amadi , whose son Akarachi Amadi who is a candidate is contesting the election has recruited thugs with which to rig.
He said : ” It should noted that so far , elections have been completed and announced in over 80 per cent of the polling units that make up Mbaitoli/ Ikeduru federal constituency . One Prince Charles Amadi whose son is the APC candidate for the same election has been using thugs ,armed men in various police and military uniforms and even those in mufti, but heavily armed to coerce and intimidate my supporters to vote against their conscience. In March 11 polls those same thugs beat up voters in some of the polling booths in my full glare .My Uncle , old women and even a pregnant women were assaulted .
He added, ” I wonder how the police ,Army ,Civil Defence etc can attach over 25 armed Uniform men to a man ,who is neither elected or appointed government functionary .Too much impunity .I am tempted to doubt the genuineness of those armed men because it is unthinkable that an ordinary civilian ,who does not occupy any government position could be officially given such security on an election day like what happened in the March 11 polls .I have earlier petitioned to Inspector General of Police , the Assistant Inspector General of police in charge of Zone 9, Umuahia , the Director General of the department of State Services and even the National Security Adviser .”
Ogbuagu maintained that in the re- run that the people will resist the any attempt by Prince Amadi and his hired thugs to rig the polls .