By Chinonso Uba
The National Youth Alliance, NYA, Imo State Chapter, after thorough review of the LGA elections held on September 21, in all the 27 LGAs and 305 political wards of the state, hereby declares that the election as conducted was a slap on democracy, and ISIEC, alleged enemy of Ndi Imo.
ISIEC allegedly deliberately messed up the election in consonance with the APC-led government in Imo State.
Voting materials such as ballot boxes, result sheets, among others, allegedly arrived as late as 2pm, 3pm, in most areas by 4pm .
NYA observed that the distribution of the electoral materials was allegedly selectively done. This is the height of election rigging.
Sadly, in most areas ISIEC allegedly never showed up till the day was gone. For this single deliberate act ,many electorate were summarily disenfranchised.
NYA believes that non availability of result sheets at over 250 political wards at yesterday’s(Weekend ) LGA elections apparently suggests that APC had already made use the result sheets to write the results in their favour.
In some areas, security operatives allegedly rough-handled candidates who dared to challenge the alleged brazen electoral malpractice of yesterday,(Saturday ) inflicting degrees of injuries on some people.
For example, the ADC candidate for Umunoha/Azara Ward in Mbaitoli LGA allegedly had his neck broken by security attached to the member representing Mbaitoli, Hon Innocent Ikpamezie, and an ex-Imo commissioner, Chukwuma Ekomaru .
The only crime committed by the ADC candidate was demanding to see the result sheet of the election he was involved in as a candidate.
It’s unfortunate that elections in Imo have allegedly been turned into caricature, debasing and defiling the very tenets of democracy.
This is the reason for the low turnout on Saturday’s LG elections. Imo people had for long allegedly lost interest in any election(s) under Hope Uzodinma, and the reason is glaringly incontestable; allegedly lacking in integrity, trust and total disconnect with the government of the day.
Therefore, there is a possibility that any result emanating from ISIEC is apparently an already written result supervised to give APC 27/27 as they have always boasted!
This too won’t be a surprise to Ndi Imo who know whom the master is.
NYA observed that those APC candidates were allegedly still government appointees who didn’t resign from their positions before being selected as candidates to stand for the elections, which is illegal, and a legal ground for their disqualification by any court of competent jurisdiction. Opponents could sue them for this.
NYA therefore urges Ndi Imo not to lose hope of a better Imo State come 2027, to make all things right. For now let’s make do with ‘Azigbakwa administration’ till our day of salvation.
To make Imo Work again, is our collective responsibility!
