Nigeria Decides 2023: Imo LP calls for removal of REC over irregularities
Nigeria Decides 2023: Imo LP calls for removal of REC over irregularities
From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Imo State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has called for the immediate removal of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Sylvia Agu over what it described as high alleged irregularities on the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
Briefing newsmen on Monday, state chairman of the party, Ambrose Onyekwere claimed that candidates of the party won their respective positions they contested for but accused the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and the state government of conniving to deny them victory.
Onyekwere pointed out that at Mbaitoli council area which he said have 287 polling units, elections were held in all the electoral wards with the exception of Amike ward with 19 polling units and one polling unit each from Ogwa ward 2 and Ezinihite ward due to the absence of INEC officials.
According to him, from the outcome of the election, LP won in all the polling units from the Presidency to the House of representatives. But he added that the failure of INEC to upload and transmit all the results collated showed clearly the “failure and insincerity of both the state government and INEC”.
He alleged that the party also won a landslide in Owerri municipal polling units but agents of the ruling party chased the party agents away and changed the results to favour their party.
Onyekwere said it was a similar situation in Okigwe council area as out of 11 electoral wards, election did not take place in 7 wards of the L.G.A due to insecurity and lack of INEC officials but despite that, he noted that the candidate of the APC was alleged to be declared winner.
“We interpret the actions of INEC as a deliberate and systematic disenfranchisement of the citizens of the state. We call for the immediate removal of the REC, all EOs, and SPOs in Imo State.
“We reject in advance any and all results for the House of assembly elections scheduled for 11/3 /23 if conducted by the current REC, professor Sylvia Agu and her team”, Onyekwere said.
