The Governorship Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, in Imo State has raised alarm over alleged plot by the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Sylvia Agu and her Ebonyi State counterpart, Onyeka Pauline Ugochi of having concluded plans to manipulate results of the upcoming governorship election in the state in favour of Uzodinma and the APC.
Ikenna Onuoha, Director, Media and Publicity, Imo PDP Governorship Campaign Council, in a release dated October, 25, 2023 and made available to press, stated that, “We’ve Intercepted credible Information that Uzodinma, Sylvia, Onyeka Perfecting plot to manipulate the 2023 Imo Guber election.
Credible information confirms that the result of the upcoming governorship election in Imo state may have been written, kept secret and waiting to be smuggled into INEC BVAS and IREV by known election riggers.
The Information obtained on good authority indicates that the criminal plot was designed to favour the candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC, in the November 11 Governorship election, Hope Uzodinma. Our investigation also revealed that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ebonyi State, Onyeka Pauline Ugochi, in conivance with her Imo state counterpart, Prof Sylvia Agu are allegedly working hand in glove to perpetuate the illegality.
It is also important to inform the general public that the same information obtained revealed that these “coup plotters” in the state have negotiated for $4 million (dollars) to enable them carry out the dastardly act. Our message to them is very simple; such illegality will never take place, as we are set to do everything possible within the ambit of the law to frustrate this onslaught against Imo people.
Our campaign council is putting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on notice and advise everyone involved in this criminal plot to retrace his/her steps aimed at creating unnecessary panic in the state less than three weeks to the Governorship election. We are worried that following this revelation and what played out in the last general elections, it is becoming obvious that INEC under Sylvia Agu can not be trusted to conduct a free, fair and credible election in the state”.
The release further stated that credible information at the campaign council’s disposal indicate that a second plan being hatched by Govenror Uzodinma, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Imo State Prof Sylvia Agu her counterpart in Ebonyi State, Onyeka Pauline Ugochi was the appointment of one Emma Uzoka, an indigene of Imo State and one-time Chairman of the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission ISIEC, as a major stakeholder in the forth coming election, a position he will use to facilitate their well designed alleged electoral fraud.
Presently, this serious discovery is causing anxiety in the state, how the head of INEC ICT in Ebonyi State could abandon her duties and relocate to Imo state Government House on alleged invitation by Hope Uzodinma to work closely with other APC leaders in the state to rig the November election.
Ordinarily, Emma Uzoka, being an Imo indigene from Oguta local government area and former appointee of Hope Uzodinma should not have any business with the upcoming election. This is because, there is no way he will not work for the victory of his former boss who also recommended him for the current position.
As a responsible and responsive campaign organization, we are using this medium to warn the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ebonyi State, Onyeka Pauline Ugochi to steer clear of Imo state and stop allowing herself to be used by Uzodinma, Sylvia Agu and their co-conspirators to undermine the wishes of Imo citizens for a credible poll. It is also pertinent to note that these supposed INEC Officials have been accused severally of aiding and abetting electoral fraud during previous elections.
In view of this revelation, we are calling on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mamood Yakubu, the Inspector General of Police, Director of State Service (DSS) and other relevant security agencies in the country to investigate this allegation thoroughly, and bring those involved in this would be national embarrassment to book”.
