LEGISREPORTS NG – Senator representing Imo West Senatorial district in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, Hope Uzodinma, has accused Governor Rochas Okorocha bribing INEC officials after failing to disrupt elections after unleashing thugs to so do during the Oguta re-run elections which held recently. He said that contrary to allegations that the PDP was behind the violence which erupted during the course of the election, the All Peoples’ Grand Alliance (APGA), led by Governor Rochas was in fact behind the attacks against security agents positioned to ensure a peaceful electoral process in Oguta State Constituency. The lawmaker made the disclosure in Abuja during a press conference which held on Thursday. In his narration, he said, “At the start of the election, the conduct was orderly and peaceful except Osemoto ward that was taken over by government thugs and hoodlums. “However mid-way, apparently sensing impending defeat, the APGA led state government unleashed thugs and hooligans on all the wards in Oguta Local Government Area. The Security agents rose to the challenge and were able to contain the thugs in many of the wards and election continued in those wards. But in Osemoto and Egbuoma/Ekwe wards, the thugs overwhelmed the security agents and disrupted the electoral process. According to the lawmaker, “following the sheer impudence of these thugs in the said Osemota and Egbuoma/Ekwe wards, election could not take place in all the booths in these wards because the electoral officers and ad-hoc workers ran for dear lives and abandoned the booths.” Senator Uzodinma further said, “a few minutes after the show of shame in these wards, well known government officials stormed the INEC office in Oguta with results for the wards where election did not hold,” adding that the team was led by Uche Nwosu, the son-in-law to Governor Rochas Okorocha and Commissioner for lands in Imo state. Also on the team was the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Mbanaso and Mr. Kenneth Emelu, the Commissioner of Youths and Sports. The results, Uzodinma said, were handed over to one Lady Dorathy Akpuchukwu, an Electoral Officer in Oguta. According to the lawmaker, “as it stands now, the PDP is leading in the results announced for the other wards with 7,585 to APGA’s 7,241.” He added that the APGA in Imo state had switched levers in its tactics to ensure that the PDP loses in the election by resorting to bribe electoral officials and induce INEC to announce results for Osemoto and Egbuoma/Egwe wards. “I am aware that when the state government’s plan A for rigging the election failed, it resorted to its plan B which is to announce results for Osemoto and Egbuoma/Egwe wards. “To this end, state government officials have held series of meetings with the collation officers involved in the election. “These meetings were held at Lamonde Hotel, Okigwe Road in Owerri. The hotel is owned by the State Governor, Rochas Okorocha. One of such meetings was held last Monday, July 1, 2013. The Governor knows what transpired in that meeting.” This report was prepared by our reporter in Abuja.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Jul 2013 03:43:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015