Imo guber: LP accuses INEC of delaying release of election documents

The Labour Party (LP) in Imo has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of delaying the release of certified true copies (CTCs) of documents used for the November 11 governorship election in the state.

The electoral body had declared Uzodinma, Imo governor, as the winner of the election.

The APC candidate polled 540,308 votes to beat Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 71,503 votes; and Athan Achonu of LP who secured 64,081 votes.

Anyanwu and Achonu, in a joint press conference, had rejected the outcome of the election.

‘TIME IS OF ESSENCE’

In a statement issued on Saturday, Chibuikem Diala, spokesperson of the Achonu campaign organisation, appealed to Mahmood Yakubu, INEC national chairman, to prevail on Sylvia Agu, Imo resident electoral commissioner, to release the election-related documents.

The party said INEC received and acknowledged its official request for the documents on November 15.

Diala wondered why INEC was quick to announce the results of the Imo election but is delaying the release of election documents.

“INEC was as so efficient to announce the results of 27 LGAs of Imo in less that 12 hours after the election,” he said.

“One wonders why the commission is taking over 144 hours to release the documents backing their pronouncements.

“One would expect a better and efficient approach from the electoral body.

“We sincerely hope that this delay is not a decoy by INEC in Imo and agents of the APC led-government to tamper with sensitive materials in INEC’s possession.”

Responding to the request, Emmanuella Ben-Opara, INEC head of voter education in Imo, said the documents would be released within the stipulated timeframe.