Less than a week ahead of the Imo State governorship election, tensions rose at a stakeholders’ meeting organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), Senators Samuel Anyanwu and Athan Achonu respectively, alongside their deputy governorship candidates, staged a walkout, sparking a chaotic scene.
The meeting, which was a crucial part of INEC’s preparations for the upcoming November 11 poll, saw the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, being represented by National Commissioner Kenneth Ukeagu. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when Ukeagu instructed journalists to switch off their cameras and vacate the hall, prompting strong opposition from the LP and PDP representatives.
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LP’s deputy governorship candidate, Mr Tony Nwulu, and PDP’s Jones Onyereri, voiced their firm objection to the exclusion of the press, emphasizing the crucial role the media plays as stakeholders in the electoral process. Expressing their concerns, they alleged foul play and raised questions about the transparency of the meeting.
Nwulu’s accusation of a potential conspiracy by INEC to manipulate the election in favor of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) added fuel to the already tense atmosphere. Onyereri further aggravated the situation by presenting what he claimed were counterfeit result sheets from a previous House of Assembly election in the state, raising doubts about the integrity of the electoral process.
Subsequently, the meeting descended into chaos, with supporters from both the ruling and opposition parties engaging in verbal altercations, nearly leading to physical confrontations. The incident has added to the mounting apprehension and volatility surrounding the highly anticipated governorship election in Imo State.
