Imo North Senatorial Poll: Okigwe People Reject Manipulated Result
As electoral malpractices, irregularities, gross ballot box snatching, unavailability of sensitive materials, writing of results by the PDP, intimidation and harassment by security agencies, disenfranchisement of the Accord party, doctoring of results, maneuverings and the alleged manipulation of the process by INEC and its collation officers rent the air after the march 28 senatorial elections in Okigwe senatorial zone, people of the zone has vehemently rejected the outcome of the elections.
Addressing a group of Journalists yesterday in Okigwe town, a group, the Okigwe advancement initiative stated that some elites in the zone, over the years, have continued to hide under the cloak of People Democratic Party, PDP to impose their preferred stooge at the expense of good democratic values, sound electoral process and free and fair elections.
The coordinator of the association, Mr. Chinonso Obi, while insisting that the People's Democratic Party, PDP with the support of INEC and Army rigged the Okigwe senatorial elections, explained that the unavailability of result sheets in Isiala Mbano council area, the distribution of ballot papers and other sensitive materials meant for Ngor Okpala local government area of Owerri senatorial zone, in Ehime Mbano council area, only to withdraw the materials by 6.50pm with a promise to conduct elections the next day, which they never fulfilled but rather released results in favour of the PDP, was a clear indication that INEC officials had connived with the PDP to short change the people's will.
According to Obi, there were incidents where result sheets meant for different electoral wards was hurriedly signed by one collation officer, because the authentic collation officer who did not support the manipulation of result, refused to sign the result sheet, as well as incidents where security agencies aided some politicians to snatch away electoral material meant for the conduct of a free and fair election.
Obi explained that there was also evidence of gross ballot snatching in four local governments,(Okigwe,Onuimo,Ehime Mbano and Isiala Mbano lga's) which was reported on the day of election, ''yet the result was also declared in favour of PDP, as well as, several occasions where presiding officers and ward collation officers disappeared with election materials, only to resurface by 1p.m the following day.
He accused one Chief Tony Chukwu, a notable PDP chieftain in Ehime Mbano of camping INEC adhoc staff in his House on the eve of the election in order to perfect his rigging plans as well as hijacking election materials of all polling units in his ward,Umueze 1, Ehime Mbano lga, with a Hilux vehicle marked BS42FST.
He said the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC reflected a prearranged and fabricated operation spearheaded by the rigging machinery of the PDP led by Chief tony Chukwu and Athan Achonu, ''we will never accept the result that was marred by irregularities and violence and therefore call for cancelation in four affected council areas''.