Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri
The Imo State leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described last Saturday’s Houses of Assembly poll where the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, won the entire twenty-seven Local Government Areas of the state as an electoral fraud that would not stand.
PDP State Publicity Secretary, Collins Opurozor, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri on Monday, while speaking on the outcome of the last Houses of Assembly elections in the state.
PDP said the right thing to be done should be to review the last Saturday’s election results and the PDP candidates who won the elections be declared winners.
The PDP Spokesman said: “It has been a dark moment for democracy in Imo State. Each day brings a new sorrow. Our Party, therefore, deeply appreciates you, our media partners, for standing by the Imo people through these perilous times and remaining on the side of truth despite the threats, harassment, and attacks from those who control the reins of power in Imo State.
“Our Party, therefore, demands that INEC should in line with the extant provisions of the Electoral Act immediately review the falsified House of Assembly results across Imo State and, without any delay, uphold the authentic results from the polling units and declare PDP candidates winners,” PDP said.
On how the alleged electoral fraud was committed the PDP said: “At about 9 pm in Isu LGA on Saturday, 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 armored 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 the 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 brutalised 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. Imo PDP condemns this brigandage and brazen robbery of the people’s mandate in Isu LGA. This will never stand!
“In Onuimo LGA, where PDP had also won by landslide, the same thing was done. Appointees of Senator Hope Uzodinma stormed the collation centre with armed thugs, soldiers, policemen, and Ebubeagu militiaman unleashed mayhem on everyone present at the venue rewrote the results to give undue victory to the APC.
“In Aboh Mbaise, where PDP also recorded landslide victory, APC leaders, top police officers, military personnel and Ebubeagu militiamen struck again at the middle of the night and took away the INEC officials with election materials to Owerri where they rewrote the results for the APC.
“In Ideato North, Ihitte Uboma, Oguta, Ohaji-Egbema, Owerri West, Isiala Mbano, Nwangele, Ehime Mbano, Nkwerre, Ezinihitte Mbaise, and Njaba, the midnight raids occurred red and the electoral mandates freely given to PDP candidates by their constituents were violently snatched away.”
“For Orlu LGA, voting materials, and INEC officials were not deployed to over sixty percent of the area. Instead, INEC delivered the materials to APC leaders, who congregated at the Orlu LGA Headquarters, and, aided by armed thugs, security agents, and Ebubeagu militiamen, thumbprinted the ballot papers and wrote results for the APC. This also happened in most parts of Orsu, Oru West, Oru, East, and Okigwe, where elections could not hold because of insecurity. However, in all the relatively safe places where elections were held in these LGAs, PDP won convincingly.
“In Ahiazu Mbaise, PDP was in a clear and matchless lead when Senator Uzodinma’s agents came with violence and electoral fraud which made the exercise be declared inconclusive. Yet, these same godless characters in APC are still fighting to get INEC to announce the result in their favour. This is a shame!
“It must be stated very clearly that these 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. Imo PDP finds this disheartening,” PDP said.
