LP’s Athan Achonu demands cancellation of Imo guber election over widespread rigging

Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Saturday’s Imo governorship election, Athan Achonu. Photograph: The Telegraph

The opposition candidate said that agents of his party returned with disturbing reports of hijacking of ballot boxes and other electoral materials as well as vote buying.

Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Saturday’s Imo governorship election, Athan Achonu, has called for a cancellation of results from some polling units over alleged irregularities.

Mr Achonu made the call in his hometown, Umulumo, in Ehime Mbano council area, on Saturday. He said that agents of his party returned with disturbing reports of hijacking of ballot boxes and other electoral materials as well as vote buying.

He added that the LP had officially written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for requisite action and called for the cancellation of results emanating from the affected locations.

“In parts of Ideato, the process was characterized by ballot box snatching and all manners of irregularities, including intimidation of voters,” he said. “This is unacceptable. We have already written to INEC to take appropriate steps to ensure that fake results are not uploaded.“ 

He, however, decried the “absence of security personnel in certain places around Orlu and Orsu”, while commending the military for turning up to save the situation in some other areas.

INEC’s Head of Voter Education, Emmanuella Opara, however, said that the commission was yet to receive an official report on the alleged irregularities. 

(NAN)