The coalition, including Southeast-based coalition of Democracy and Human Rights Organisations and the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) in a joint press conference in Enugu State, said that available pieces of evidence and realities suggest that INEC did not plan to organise an election that was free, fair and credible.
Acoalition of civil society organisations has alleged that there is a plot by some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate results in the favour of the incumbent governor, Hope Uzodinma in the November 11, 2023, Governorship polls.
The coalition, including Southeast-based coalition of Democracy and Human Rights Organisations and the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) in a joint press conference in Enugu State, said that available pieces of evidence and realities suggest that INEC did not plan to organise an election that was free, fair and credible.
The Chairman, Intersociety Board of Trustees, Emeka Umeagbalasi, who addressed the press conference, said INEC’s failure to “thoroughly investigate allegations that APC apologists and top officials’ relatives are made senior INEC officials in Imo and South-East including National Commissioners” raised a question.
The conference was tagged: "Nov 11, 2023, Imo Governorship Poll: Is INEC Truly Organizing Free, Fair, Secured And Credible Election Or Planning To Harvest And Write Results For The Incumbent?"
The civil societies said, “Our letter to Chairman of the Police Service Commission and the Inspector General of Police was also dated Monday, Sept 25, 2023 (submitted by our lawyers and received same day) and captioned: “To Ensure Participatory, Free, Fair, Credible And Secured Nov 11, 2023 Imo Governorship Election: Time Has Come To Transfer Senior Police Officers In Imo State And Zone 9 Police Commands And Disarm And Demobilize The Imo State Government Ebubeagu Militias And Armed Others“
“We also wrote the Director General of DSS, dated Sept 25, 2023 (submitted by our lawyers and received same day) and captioned “To Ensure Participatory, Free, Fair, Credible And Secured Nov 11, 2023 Imo Governorship Election: Time Has Come To Transfer The Imo State DSS Director And Other Principal Officers Including The State’s 27 LGAs’ Operational Officers-in-Charge And Offer Credible Intelligence And Assist Lawful Law Enforcement Operations Friendly To Public Security And Safety And Popular And Secured Voting In The State’s Crucial Governorship Election Fixed For Nov 11, 2023”
“Key Highlights In Our Letter To INEC: Failure to thoroughly investigate and clear the strong allegations that APC apologists and top officials’ relatives are made senior INEC officials in Imo and South-East including National Commissioners-and the INEC’s silence over them have continued to portray the Commission as an appendage or branch of APC ahead of Nov 11, 2023 Imo Governorship Poll.
“Avoid harvesting results in places where election or voting never take place (.i.e. INEC’s recently announced exclusion of 38 polling units) in Imo on Nov 11, 2023 Governorship Poll or where election was held but canceled as a result of widespread violence or gross malpractices
“Calling for “No Result Sheets (.i.e. FormEC8As), No Voting” in the Imo’s Nov 11, 2023 Governorship Poll; Location of collation centers must be outside the arenas under the grip and undue influence of the Government of Imo State (.i.e. offices of LG Chairmen or Chairpersons)
“Imo voters and general public must not be kept in the dark by INEC over voting guidelines for the Nov 11, 2023 Poll. INEC must urgently reverse all politically motivated staff postings, appointments and transfers ahead of the Nov 11, 2023 Governorship Poll.
“The Letter to INEC specifically requested and still request for transfer of Imo REC, Prof Sylvia Agu and eight heads of Imo’s INEC key departments; namely: Emmanuella Okpara (HOD-Voter Education), Mr. Raymond (HOD-ICT), Chinonye Osuji (Public Relations Officer), Dr. Fidelis Uguru (Acting Administrative Secretary), Agnes Elokpo (ICT Department), Okorie Esther (Acting HOD-Operations), Barrister Sunday Nwaigboko (HOD Legal) and Mrs. Gloria Ogbuechi (INEC EO for Nkanu East in the 2023 Governorship Election in Enugu State, now posted to Imo State).
“We are also not comfortable with the continued retention in Imo INEC of the following eleven Local Government Electoral Officers (EOs): Emeka Okike Ukpa (Owerri West), Omeje Peter Ikebuchukwu (Nwerre), Nwabisi Theresa (Mbaitoli), Nnebue Adolph (Ezinihitte-Mbaise), Nnonyelum Benjamin (Ngokpala), Okorie Franklyn (Isiala-Mbano), Uzor Chikwendu (Okigwe), Nwachukwu Anyalewechi (Onuimo), Chukwuemeka Blessing (Orlu), Okafor Obiorah (Orsu), Uzoka Emmanuel (Oru East).
“Clusters of critics and observers have expressed deep fears over the age long closeness of DIG Frank Mba and Gov Hope Uzodinma and its possible negative effects capable of undermining the safety, popularity and credibility of the Nov 11, 2023 Imo Governorship Election. This is even as DIG Frank Mba is in a verge of being drafted to Imo State to supervise the Poll. DIG Mba’s closeness with Gov Uzodinma has been pointed out by critics to have dated back to the former’s service days at the Anti Fraud Unit at Milverton, Lagos State. The closeness became so pronounced that during DIG Frank Mba’s recent elevation to the post of a DIG, he was jointly decorated with his new rank by Gov Hope Uzodinma and IGP Kayode Agbetokun. Pictorial evidence of same also trended widely on social, print and electronic media.
“Critics are deeply concerned that the closeness is likely to have a negative impact on the outcome of the Nov 11, 2023 Imo Governorship Poll including undermining its independence and credibility. We have also been reliably informed that the Owerri Tiger Base of the Nigeria Police IRT under the command of one Chukwuka Dibia and the State Police Command’s Anti Cultism under the command of one Oladimeji have become a willing tool recklessly and indiscriminately used to hunt down and haunt political opponents of the State incumbent; all targeted at undermining the safety, popularity and credibility of the Poll.”
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