Off-cycle polls: Gunshots as police clash with party agents in Imo

Gunshots have rented the early morning air in Amaimo Central School, Amaimo ward, Ikeduru LGA of Imo state, as residents troop out to cast votes in the governorship election.

Things turned ugly at the polling unit after police officers clashed with party agents.

TheCable understands that trouble began when some party agents insisted that police officers should not escort officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to one of the polling units in the ward.

The police officers were said to have insisted on escorting the INEC officials alongside the materials to the polling unit.

The incident led to a face-off between the police officers and the party agents.

Voting has since commenced in the three states of Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa where off-cycle gubernatorial polls are taking place today.

In other polling units in Imo monitored by TheCable, there is a semblance of peace and order, with electoral officers arriving early and displaying the voters’ register as required.

However, INEC officials did not arrive Amaimo Central School early.

Hope Uzodinma, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo, is seeking re-election.