INEC Begins Collation of Presidential Results amidst Peaceful Protest in Imo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday evening commenced the collation of presidential results from the 27 Local Government Areas of the state.

The collation commenced amidst a peaceful protest by the Labour Party and Ohaneze Youth Council, who alleged a compromise in the outcome of the National Assembly elections conducted in Orlu Senatorial zone.

The State Collation Officer, Prof. Charles Esimone, flanked by INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Sylvia Agu, had declared the collation of presidential results open at about 6.30pm.

Esimone, who is presently the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, pledged to ensure a transparent collation exercise.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that as at the time of report, nine Local Government Areas have so far been collated and announced by the various collation officers before embarking on break as at 10:10pm.

The Local Government Areas included Isiala Mbano, Isu, Nwangele, Ideato South, Ideato North, Nkwerre, Orsu, Owerri North and Ikeduru Local Government Areas.

However, shortly before commencement of the exercise, the National Vice Chairman of Labour Party, South-east, Mr. Innocent Okeke, submitted a protest letter to INEC.

Okeke told newsmen in an interview that the protest letter was against “the anomaly that we witnessed during the election.”

“We received complaints that no elections took place in many places but results were generated and uploaded.

“We came to protest to let the world know that we as Labour Party want to do away with old order and enshrine a new order of leadership and rulership in Nigeria,” Okeke said.

Also speaking, the Labour Party (LP) House of Representatives candidate for Orlu, Orsu and Oru East Federal Constituency, Mr. Jeff Ojineka, said elections only held in three polling units in Oru East.

“In Oru East, the foundation to what happened was the non-absence of the vehicles that conveyed materials to polling units.

“They delayed till around 12 noon before they started releasing materials to the polling booths, but those materials never appeared at any of the polling units at Oru East only at a later time to hear that results were being uploaded,” he claimed.

He said elections were only conducted in three polling units in Omuma: Polling Units 008, 010 and 012.

He further claimed that in Orsu Local Government, while voters were waiting at the designated polling units for materials from local government headquarters, results were allegedly being uploaded in documents.

The candidate claimed that those who voted were transported from Owerri to the area.

He also alleged that in Orlu, election held in only three wards.

“We had gone back today thinking that INEC directed election for Sunday in Orlu, but we were told that no directive about conducting the election.

“People were ready to cast their votes. We later heard that result from there have been generated which is what they are collating,” he said.

Likewise, the National President of Ohaneze Youth Council, Mr. Igboayaka Igboayaka claimed that the “tactical delay in conveying election materials to various polling units was a ploy to sabotage the election.”

Igboayaka, who read his protest letter, alleged that threats of violence were used to stop election in some parts of Orlu zone.