By Peter Okolie
Polling booths opened early on Saturday morning for the supplementary elections in Imo amid large turn out and tension.
The candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Akarachi Amadi; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Osmond Ukanacho and the Labour Party (LP), Mr Uche Ogbuagu, are the three major contenders for the Mbaitoli /Ikeduru Federal Constituency election.
The supplementary polls are also being conducted for three State Constituencies of Isu, Ahiazu Mbaise and Ideato South.
Materials left Mbaitoli Local Government Area to respective polling units with heavy presence of security personnel.
At Eke-Amaehi Polling Unit 021, Eziama, the Polling Unit of the candidate of the APC, Mr Akarachi Amadi, there was large turn out of voters.
The Presiding Officer of the polling unit, Mr Peter Anatu, said accreditation and voting started at the booth at 8:00 a.m.
Anatu said no challenge had been recorded with the use of BVAS at the polling unit which had 1,382 registered voters.
A voter and the President-General of Eziama Autonomous community, Mr Maxwell Ozurumba, commended the large turn out of voters.
“The process is calm. There were no gun shots or violence so far witnessed at the polling unit as reported in the social media,” he said.
At Amaike Mbieri, unit 010 at Amankuta community civic hall, about 75 persons had voted at the unit by 9:45 a.m. which had a total of 798 registered voters.
At Amaike Mbieri, unit 011 Amankuta community school with 565 registered voters, election materials arrived at about past 8:00 a.m., but voting was delayed until about past 9:00 a.m. because party agents insisted on confirming the authenticity of the result sheets and other sensitive materials.
The Labour Party candidate for Mbaitoli/Ikeduru Federal Constituency, Mr Uche Ogbuagu, denied the rumours that he had stepped down for the candidate of the APC, Akarachi Amadi.
Ogbuagu further dispelled the rumour that he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
He also urged INEC to redeem its image, saying voters were already disenchanted with the Feb. 25 and March 18 general elections.
“I am not just concerned about winning but about the sanity of the process,” he added. (NAN)
