- Demands for announcement of authentic results
From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Imo People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Prof Sylvia Agu of aiding the Imo State government to perpetrate electoral fraud in last Saturday’s state House of Assembly polls.
According to a press release by Mr Collins Opurozor, State Publicity Secretary, the brazen electoral atrocities against Imo people were committed through the full and active involvement of some top corrupt officials within INEC, including the Resident Electoral Commissioner, and the security agencies in the State.
The statement reads, “Last Saturday, Imo people went out to vote their choice candidates for the House of Assembly seats across the State. It was supposed to be a seamless and brotherly exercise. For our Party, the wishes of the people must be respected, and so we properly trained all our field workers in the best practices in democratic electioneering.”
The party further stated that “By the time voting ended on Saturday over eighty per cent of the results declared at the polling units, in the majority of the twenty-seven constituencies of the State. Then, the APC regime of Senator Hope Uzodinma returned with the only option which they know how to do, namely the use of state violence to abduct INEC officials, cart away election materials, falsify results and impose their lackeys on Imo people as winners. This administration of Senator Uzodinma, whose foundation is rooted in immorality, treachery, usurpation of popular mandate and debasing of democratic institutions and values, has finally set Imo State on fire!”
The PDP also accused the APC of violence and electoral fraud in several local government areas. In Isu LGA, “when collation was done by over 90% and PDP had convincingly won the election, well-known APC leaders came in a convoy of over fifty vehicles, two armoured personnel carriers conveying armed military men, Police, Ebubeagu militiamen, and thugs. They began to shoot heavily, directly attacking PDP leaders and agents, and in the process, Chief Magnus Uzoma, who is the Chairman of Isu LGA Campaign Council of our Party was shot and left badly injured in a pool of blood. Mr Charles Osakwe, PDP Collation Agent in the LGA, was also beaten to a pulp with guns and machetes and left half dead by APC-backed militiamen. Two PDP youths, Mr Chigozie Izunwanne and Comrade Chinonso Onwezi, were also attacked and brutalized by APC militiamen, and it is still miraculous that they are alive today. In this way, APC hijacked the results and falsified them just to upturn our victory.”
The PDP demanded that INEC conduct a proper investigation into the electoral fraud in Imo State and ensure that the will of the people prevails.