Peoples Democratic Party may have begun their
rigging formula in Imo State with Oguta Constituency Election conducted last
week Saturday yet to be released. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),
refused to announce the result of the election citing violence, thuggery, and
fighting as reasons for cancelling eight polling units. INEC said the election
is inconclusive.
According to the Independent National Electoral
Commission, reports showed that the election conducted in Oguta constituency of
Imo State last Saturday, June 29, 2013, caused violence and unruly conduct by
partisans, necessitating the cancellation of the election in eight (8) polling
units. Our man who monitored the election said PDP used Federal might to stop
the result from being announced. The party faithful from Imo and National
Assembly men went to Oguta with federal police to intimidate the state police
who were on their duty posts. The cancellation was said to have made the election inconclusive. Imo State PDP bigwigs from Abuja violated all the orders giving by the state police on movement as they were seen moving about with thugs and hired police officers. PDP used Oguta election to oil their rigging machinery to see how it was going to work in 2015.
Reports showed that even though security agents mobilised appreciably for the exercise, there were cases of violence as well as ballots and result sheets snatching by thugs, as a result of which the election was cancelled in the following polling units:
(i)
PU 001 in Ward 05
(Ndeloukwu/Umuowerre) – with 768 registered voters.
(ii) PU 007 in Ward 03 (Izombe) – 939 registered voters.
(iii) PU 009 in Ward 09 (Oru) – 708 registered voters.
(iv) PU 010 (Ward 09) – 657 registered voters.
(v) PU 011 (Ward 09) – 407 registered voters.
(vi) PU 012 (Ward 09) – 408 registered voters.
(vii) PU 013 (Ward 09) – 667 registered voters.
(viii) PU 003 in Ward 02 (Egwe/Egbuoma) – 212 registered voters.
It was gathered that the total population of registered voters in the polling units affected was over 4,000; whereas the difference between the leading candidate and the next in the collated results was 2,011 votes. The procedure is that where the number of registered voters involved in a cancelled election exceeds the difference in the votes of the two leading candidates in collated results, the election will be declared inconclusive. It bears pointing out that the present outcome of Oguta constituency election is similar to what happened with the 2011 governorship election in Imo State, which was eventually resolved.
The Commission finds it worrisome that politicians and hooligans brazenly flouted the restriction order on movement during the election. Reports showed that officials of the Imo State Government and some members of the National Assembly across party lines moved around freely despite the restriction order – some of them with security escorts! Worse, some of these politicians aren’t even from Oguta constituency where the election held.
INEC must here again confess its disappointment that the culture of thuggery, intolerance and unruly conduct continues to bedevil the electoral process in this country. The Commission is already making necessary arrangements to conduct election in the outstanding polling units. Rochas Okorocha, the state governor has called on the INEC to release the result for the interest of the state.
(ii) PU 007 in Ward 03 (Izombe) – 939 registered voters.
(iii) PU 009 in Ward 09 (Oru) – 708 registered voters.
(iv) PU 010 (Ward 09) – 657 registered voters.
(v) PU 011 (Ward 09) – 407 registered voters.
(vi) PU 012 (Ward 09) – 408 registered voters.
(vii) PU 013 (Ward 09) – 667 registered voters.
(viii) PU 003 in Ward 02 (Egwe/Egbuoma) – 212 registered voters.
It was gathered that the total population of registered voters in the polling units affected was over 4,000; whereas the difference between the leading candidate and the next in the collated results was 2,011 votes. The procedure is that where the number of registered voters involved in a cancelled election exceeds the difference in the votes of the two leading candidates in collated results, the election will be declared inconclusive. It bears pointing out that the present outcome of Oguta constituency election is similar to what happened with the 2011 governorship election in Imo State, which was eventually resolved.
The Commission finds it worrisome that politicians and hooligans brazenly flouted the restriction order on movement during the election. Reports showed that officials of the Imo State Government and some members of the National Assembly across party lines moved around freely despite the restriction order – some of them with security escorts! Worse, some of these politicians aren’t even from Oguta constituency where the election held.
INEC must here again confess its disappointment that the culture of thuggery, intolerance and unruly conduct continues to bedevil the electoral process in this country. The Commission is already making necessary arrangements to conduct election in the outstanding polling units. Rochas Okorocha, the state governor has called on the INEC to release the result for the interest of the state.
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