Imo: OPAC uncovers plot by INEC to schedule kangaroo rerun poll in Isu constituency

…Demands immediate arrest, prosecution of Ukeagu

….Calls on INEC chairman to declare Isu result without further delay

Orlu Political Action Committee (OPAC) has raised alarm over alleged plot by the APC government in Imo State and some suspected corrupt officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission to schedule a re-run election in Isu federal constituency so as to cancel the victory of the actual winner of the March 18th House of Assembly poll.

OPAC in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Barrister Nnamdi Maduka which a copy was made available to News Band Newspaper accused one Kenneth Ukeagu, a National Commissioner with INEC and a stooge of governor Hope Uzodinma of being behind the alleged plot.

While warning that any attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission to schedule a rerun in Isu will be vehemently resisted, OPAC urged the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to calm the tension brewing in Isu by instructing his officials to immediately announce the result for Isu Constituency which was clearly won by the Peoples Democratic Party candidate.

Part of the statement reads, “The apex political leadership group in the twelve Local Government Areas of Orlu Zone, Orlu Political Action Committee (OPAC), has observed with total disapproval the plot by the APC-led administration in Imo State and some corrupt officials within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to schedule a rerun election in some polling units in Isu LGA, so as to upturn the victory of the actual winner of the March 18th House of Assembly election.

“The kingpin of this wicked, treasonable and anti-democratic conspiracy is one Kenneth Ukeagu who is a National Commissioner with INEC and a willing-tool of Senator Hope Uzodinma.

“OPAC wishes to state without equivocation that any attempt to schedule a rerun in Isu will be vehemently resisted, as that will an open invitation to anarchy.

“Our position on the Isu election is very simple and clear. Of the 123 polling units in Isu LGA, 122 results have been been transmitted to the iREV, which is about 99.19% of the total results. The only result which was not transmitted came from Ekwe Ward 1, Booth 16, where APC thugs had made away with the BVAS. However, from our findings, the result has been at the INEC office, Owerri.

“In four other polling units that thugs hired by the APC disrupted the election, INEC officials at all levels complied with the provisions of the law by signing the Forms EC 40 G and transmitting same. This means that the scores from the four polling units have become ZERO, and nothing like rerun would be scheduled in the four affected polling units.

“Therefore, results from the eleven wards in Isu LGA, which everyone can see on the INEC Portal, prove that the PDP candidate, Hon. Modestus Osakwe, has scored the highest number of votes, which is 5,551 and won in six wards to defeat the APC candidate who got 4,954. Why INEC has refused to declare this result and announce Hon. Osakwe winner is what deeply baffles OPAC!

“The atmosphere is now tensed in Isu because of this partisanship of INEC, especially given the latest plot by Kenneth Ukeagu, who is obviously in bed with the regime of Senator Hope Uzodinma, to call for a rerun election in Isu LGA. OPAC cannot guarantee what will happen next if this is not immediately addressed.

“OPAC calls on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to defuse the tension brewing in Isu by instructing his officials to immediately announce the result for Isu State Constituency election in Imo State which has been clearly won and lost.

“OPAC also calls on the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the State Security Service to quickly apprehend and prosecute the Abia-born Kenneth Ukeagu over his role in this very detestable attempt to truncate democracy in Imo State and set Isu LGA on fire”.

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