By Peter Okolie
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won 25 out of 27 state Assembly seats at last Saturday’s election conducted in Imo.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) disclosed this in a statement signed by the Imo Head of Voter Education, Mrs Emmanuella Opara and made available to newsmen on Monday in Owerri.
However, Opara said the poll was declared inconclusive in Ahaizu Mbaise state constituency while the result of the election in Isu Local Government Area was pending.
The statement disclosed that APC candidates including Eddy Obinna, won in Aboh Mbaise, Mr Dominic Ezeriorah won in Oru West while Ebonine Ozioma won in Njaba state Constituency.
Others were Duru Iheonukara, Ideato South; Chisom Ojukwu, Nkeerre; Chike Olemgbe, Ihitte Uboma; Reginald Neaneri, Oru East; and Ambrose Egu, Ngor Okpala.
They also include Kanayo Onyemachi, Owerri West; Chinemetem Agbaso, Ezinihitte; Gilbert Nwosu, Oguta; and Okechukeu Udeze, Ideato North, among others
Reacting to the party’s victory, the state’s APC Publicity Secretary, Mr Duke Cajetan said Saturday’s election was a vote of implicit confidence on Gov. Hope Uzodimma by the people.
“The victory was loud and overwhelming. We are happy that Imo people have reciprocated the good gestures of what Uzodimma has done in the past three and half years in office.
“They have used their votes to thank the. governor for the phenomenal infrastructural development in the state.
“The people didn’t vote because they were coerced or because of the reflection of what happened on Feb. 25,” he added.
Duke said their votes were an eloquent testament given to the governor as a blank cheque to choose to either run for a second term or not.
However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called for the cancellation of the exercise, alleging massive rigging by the APC in collaboration with INEC.
In a statement signed by the state PDP’s Spokesman, Mr Collins Opurozor, on Monday, the party said the party’s agents were beaten and arrested in collation centres.
“From the results declared at the various polling units in Aboh Mbaise, transmitted to iREV Portal and sent in by our agents, PDP overwhelmingly won the house of assembly seat in the area with over 90 per cent of total votes cast.
“However, as final collation was being awaited at the Collation Center, armed thugs, security agents and Ebubeagu militiamen led by APC stalwarts stormed the venue at the middle of the night, attacked our party agents and took away the INEC officials with election materials.
“It is important to note that this travesty would have been averted if the INEC Electoral Officer in Aboh Mbaise had remained incorruptible and allowed the process to be freely concluded before dusk,” he said. (NAN)(
