Imo Local Council Election Controversy: Returning Officer Allegedly Forced To Overturn Initial Cancellation, Declare APC Candidates Winners
At Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government, the electioneering process was cancelled earlier in the day over absence of result sheet.
The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) returning officer for Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government, Mrs Stella Onumajuru, has announced the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress as winners of the chairmanship and councilorship elections in the council area.
According to multiple sources, the ISIEC officer made the declaration after being held “under duress” by the APC chairmanship candidate, Larry Chikwe and other leaders of the party.
Electorates in state on Saturday trooped out in their numbers to elect their local council representatives.
The LG elections had commenced on a shaky footing due to the late distribution of electoral materials.
At Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government, the electioneering process was cancelled earlier in the day over absence of result sheet.
“The Returning officer was forced to announce APC candidates as winners of LG election this night in the home of APC chairmanship candidate after canceling the election earlier in the day over absence of result sheet,” one of the sources said.
Another added, “The Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Council election in Imo State which was earlier canceled today at 2.02pm by the returning officer/electoral officer of Ahiazu Mbaise, lmo state independent Electoral commission ISIEC, Mrs Stella Onumajuru due to unavailability of original result sheets to conduct elections in the different polling units.
“She held a media press briefing at the local government council hall in Afor Oru in Imo State but later this evening, she was held to ransom by the APC chairmanship candidate, Mr. Larry Chikwe and the Ahiazu Mbaise House of Assembly member, Mr. Samuel Otuibe, in company of the Divisional Police Officer of Ahiazu Mbaise to pronounce all the 12 APC Councilorship candidates and the Chairman as the winners of the election which never took place.
“It should be recalled that the DPO of Ahiazu Mbaise LGA, who was with the returning officer of the LGA council, also aided the APC Chairmanship candidate in announcing the return of all the APC Councilorship candidates and the Chairman in an unknown environment.”
