The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been sacked from the Imo State House of Assembly by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in a contest, captained by the Leader of the Party in the State, Governor Hope Uzodinma.
In the election into the State House of Assembly held on Saturday, March 18, 2023, APC swept every Party out of the House, including the PDP. Recall too that in the National Assembly Elections held on February 25, 2023, the PDP was left with no Senator. While the Labour Party won in Imo East District, the APC won in Imo North and West.
In the State House of Assembly, out of the 27 Assembly seats, the APC, according to the results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has won 25 seats. While the result of one LGA, Ahiazu Mbaise State Consttuency is still in dispute, and so inconclusive, that of the Isu Local Government Area is pending.
These details were given by INEC on Monday in a statement issued by Mrs Emmanuella Opara, its
Head of Voter Education in Imo.
According to INEC, APC candidates Eddy Obinna won in Aboh Mbaise, Mr Dominic Ezeriorah won in Oru West and Ebonine Ozioma in Njaba State Constituency.
Duru Iheonukara won in Ideato South; Chisom Ojukwu, Nkwerre; Chike Olemgbe, Ihitte Uboma; Reginald Nwaneri, Oru East; and Ambrose Egu, Ngor Okpala.
Others who won are Kanayo Onyemachi, Owerri West; Chinemetem Agbaso, Ezinihitte; Gilbert Nwosu, Oguta; and Okechukeu Udeze, Ideato North, among others.
In his reaction to his Party’s unprecedented victory, Imo APC’s Publicity Secretary, Duke Cajetan it was a vote of confidence on the leadership of the Governor.
His words:
“The victory was loud and overwhelming. We are happy that Imo people have reciprocated the good gestures of what Uzodinma has done in the past three and half years in office.
“They have used their votes to thank the Governor for the phenomenal infrastructural development in the state.
“The people didn’t vote because they were coerced or because of the reflection of what happened on February 25.”
But not a few people are scared of a House of Assembly without an opposition. There is no democracy without opposition, they say.
The most vociferous in its condemnation is, understandably, the PDP which has dismissed the election in the State as a sham.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Collins Opurozor, the PDP said there was no election in the State and called for its cancellation.
It noted that the election was allegedly, massively rigged by the APC, in connivance with INEC officials.
The PDP called for the cancellation of the exercise, alleging massive rigging by the APC in collaboration with INEC.
The PDP said it was, allegedly, marred by violence, the beating and arrests of PDP agents and the snatching of ballot boxes.
Said the statement:
“From the results declared at the various polling units in Aboh Mbaise, transmitted to iREV Portal and sent in by our agents, PDP overwhelmingly won the House of Assembly seat in the area with over 90 per cent of total votes cast.
“However, as final collation was being awaited at the Collation Center, armed thugs, security agents and Ebubeagu militiamen led by APC stalwarts stormed the venue in the middle of the night, attacked our party agents and took away the INEC officials with election materials.
“It is important to note that this travesty would have been averted if the INEC Electoral Officer in Aboh Mbaise had remained incorruptible and allowed the process to be freely concluded before dusk”
The Party rejected the results and said what was declared were fake results masterminded and written and declared by PDP and INEC. They also pointed at the alleged role played by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu, who the Party alleged was seen, in his convoy parading Polling Units wiyh Policemen, and a Police armored vehicle, allegedly snatching ballot boxes. They allege he was arrested, but later released.
As things stand, it is not likely that PDP will get a seat, perhaps one.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party Candidate for Owerri Municipal, Clinton Amadi has asked INEC to declare him the winner as the results displayed at the INEC viewing Centre clearly shows “that I won.”
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