…Okorocha accused of holding INEC Returning Officer hostage
CHRIS NJOKU, OWERRI
Trouble is brewing in Imo State following the confession of the independent National Electoral Commission Returning Officer, Prof. Innocent Ibeawuchi, that he was held hostage to declare Governor Rochas Okorocha winner of the Imo West Senatorial election.
Declaring the result, the returning officer said that he was under duress to declare the governor who contested for the seat under the All Progressives Congress winner of the senatorial election, adding that he did so to save his life and that of his family.
“They held me hostage. I am declaring the result under duress to save my life and that of my family,” he stated.
Also, The Point gathered that a team of policemen were immediately dispatched to rescue the officer and other ad hoc staff of the commission.
As at press time, the commission was yet to officially release the result.
However, it was gathered that the life of the Resident Commissioner, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, was under threat following his uncompromising posture not to succumb to the temptation of fortifying the result of the election.
Also, the election of Okigwe Senatorial District is generating tension as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party made a protest against the APC candidate, Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu,
He said that he won the election but that Sen. Uwajumogu upturned the result with the connivance of some INEC officials in the area.
Similarly, the INEC officials were also accused of manipulating election results for Okigwe North House of Representatives in favour of the APC candidate.
In a petition, dated February 23, 2019 and addressed to DSS, the agent of PDP in Isiala Mbano, Dr. Jasper Ndubuaku disclosed that some armed men numbering about 10 stormed the collation centre at 2pm to cart away the results.
“We gave them a chase till they ran into the INEC office Owerri,” adding that the duplicate result sheets were with him. “Armed with the duplicate copies of the election results of the three wards, we were able to prove that their results were fake.”
Meanwhile, the presidential results released so far confirmed PDP to be leading in Imo. Out of the 26 local government areas in the state, the Presidential candidate of PDP has won 21 local government areas.
