According to Vanguard, The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the ruling party of orchestrating fraud during the local council elections held on September 21, 2024. PDP Chairman Austine Nwachukwu made the allegations during a press briefing in Owerri, describing the election process as a “murder of democracy.”
Nwachukwu claimed that the elections were conducted in hotels and the offices of Sole Administrators across the 27 local government areas, rather than in designated polling stations. He expressed disappointment, stating that by 4 PM on election day, there was a notable absence of both sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials at polling units, and electoral officials were nowhere to be found.
“The purported local government elections in Imo State today are nothing but a show of shame, an organized fraud, and an unprecedented rape of democracy,” he asserted. Many frustrated voters returned home after waiting for hours without being able to cast their votes.
The PDP chairman also criticized the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) for allegedly delivering electoral materials to APC leaders instead of polling stations. He pointed out that the commission had failed to adhere to electoral laws by not releasing the candidate list or publishing the voter register prior to the elections.
Nwachukwu noted that the PDP had previously raised alarms about the APC’s plans to rig the elections, citing a lack of communication and transparency from ISIEC regarding the electoral process. He criticized the government’s failure to advertise ad-hoc electoral roles, deeming their actions dubious and undemocratic.
Nwachukwu emphasized that the conduct of the election reflected a broader failure of governance under the Hope Uzodimma administration, questioning why the government appeared fearful of the electoral process. He called the situation a disgrace to democratic governance, urging the need for accountability and reform in the electoral system.
