– Describes L.G Election As Charade
The Peoples Democratic Party, Imo State chapter, has taken a swipe at the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission ISIEC for its role in the alleged massive rigging that made a mess of the local government election conducted in the state on Saturday, September, 21, 2024.
The main opposition party, in a release signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Lancelot Obiaku, accused ISIEC of engaging in a fraudulent show of shame that has eroded peoples confidence and dented it’s image.
The release captioned, “Purported Imo LG election a charade, organized fraud, ISIEC proves to be a rogue commission, fails to deliver materials to polling units, reads, “the purported local government elections in Imo State today, September 21, 2024, have been nothing but a show of shame, an organized fraud, and an unprecedented rape of democracy.
As of 4 pm on a supposed election day, Imo people witnessed with grief the absence of sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials at all the polling units across the entire State, even as electoral officers were not sighted anywhere near the voting centers.
Frustrated and disappointed, voters who had waited so long to cast their ballots to no avail retired to their respective homes.
In a rather shocking development, the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) instead delivered the sensitive electoral materials to APC leaders at various LGAs.
Recall that four days ago, the PDP in Imo State had raised alarm over a plot by the APC administration to rig the election, with ISIEC criminally flouting the electoral act and its own guidelines.
It is on record that up till today, the election day, ISIEC did not release the list of candidates for the election, nor did the commission publish the voter register at the polling units as the law requires. There was no communication or meeting whatsoever with political parties, the candidates, and other stakeholders regarding the election. That is the height of their criminality.
one knew who the ISIEC electoral officers were and how the ad-hoc staff were selected. The commission never advertised applications for its ad-hoc roles.
This is dubious and undemocratic. The anti-people manner in which the Hope Uzodimma administration has gone about the local government elections is clear proof that the government has totally failed the people and performed abysmally in all aspects of governance. If not why are they scared of the ballot? A government in touch with the people will not be scared of them. They are a disgrace to democratic governance”.
