Imo elections: Lawmaker wants INEC staff investigated

Rep. Kingsley Uju (PDP-Imo), member representing Ohaji-Egbema/Oguta/Oru West Federal Constituency of Imo, has called for the investigation of the activities of INEC staff in the constituency.

Uju, who made the call while addressing newsmen in Abuja, alleged that the INEC staff in the constituency connived with politicians to undermine the 2023 National Assembly polls in his constituency.

“My call is for INEC to invite the Returning Electoral Officer (REC) of Imo and all the INEC staff who worked in the constituency to ascertain what happened.

“I appeal to the INEC chairman that this is the time for us to reshape the class and quality of people we employ at INEC, either as Ad hoc or permanent staff.

“It is worrisome that the president and the National Assembly will make provision for free and fair polls only for the elections to be thwarted by people with questionable characters,“ he said.

The lawmaker said that elections were not conducted in many wards in the constituency as a result of insecurity and the late arrival of INEC staff.

Uju, however, alleged that there was a plot to generate results to favour a certain anointed candidate in the House of Representatives election.

He called on INEC chairman to reject results from wards where elections were not conducted, describing such as results as fake.

“In Oru West Local Government Area, elections did not hold in seven polling units.

“In Ohaji-Egbema LGA, elections were not conducted in six wards and so any result from those wards should not be accepted.

“Elections did not hold in five wards in Oguta LGA and that any result from the area should not be accepted.

“Also in Oguta LGA, elections were conducted in only three wards,” he said.

Uju, however, said that in places where elections were conducted, INEC should only uphold results as collected at the polling units and not the results allegedly manipulated by his opponents.

According to him, instead of accepting fake election results, INEC should cancel the entire Federal Constituency of Ohaji-Egbema/Oguta/Oru West and order fresh elections that would be free and fair.

The legislator alleged that his life was being threatened, noting that in the last two months, he had been attacked several times and also harassed by police officers.

Uju appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to caution the police authorities in Imo to stop the harassment and the intimidation of his supporters.