Imo state Governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Senator Athan Achonu, on Saturday rejected the plot to collate results in the local government area headquarters in Imo.
He stated this to newsmen in Owerri, while raising alarm over suspicious moves to rig the Imo 2023 governorship election.
Senator Achonu insisted that collation of results should be done in the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, designated areas and not LGA headquarters and that he would apply the law adequately to stop it.
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He also expressed fears that the ruling party agents were allegedly harvesting voters card details in council areas of Owerri west, Oguta, Ihitte Uboma, Okigwe others.
Achonu among other things said: “INEC should ensure they provide adequate security in all polling units and Collation Centres in Imo State so that no eligible voter is disenfranchised.
“It is no longer secret that there are reports (allegations) of APC perfecting plans to influence INEC Polling Officers and Ad Hoc Staff. We officially put INEC on notice that the APC is planning heavily to Influence the outcome of the election through compromised ad hoc staff and a few corrupt officials.
“In the last two weeks, video evidences in circulation show that communities (Owerri West, Oguta, Okigwe, Ihitte Uboma, etc.) where APC leaders are harvesting details of Voter Cards. This is criminal and an attempt to subvert the will of the people. I call on INEC and security agents to be alert and checkmate these efforts at rigging the election and ensure that sensitive materials do not get into the wrong hands.”
“It is important to restate that all collation should be done at the official designated centres not LG Council headquarters. Specifically, Isiala Mbano INEC office was burnt down. So INEC should publicly announce a public primary school as collation centre for Isiala Mbano. This should also be the case in every other locations with similar challenges.
“We will use all lawful means to resist any plan to collate results in any place other than officially designated locations at the ward level and at the local government level. I call on security agents to maintain order on Election Day and to be impartial,”he said.
