Imo LP members protest at INEC office, demand release of guber poll documents

Members of the Labour Party (LP) in Imo have marched to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state to protest the delay in the release of election documents.

Callistus Ihejiagwa, LP chairman, who led the protest on Monday, said they were at the INEC’s office over the delay by the commission to release the certified true copies (CTC) of all the documents used in the November 11 governorship election in the state.

He said the documents are important for the party to approach the court over the outcome of the poll.

“Nine days after, INEC has refused to give us certified true copies of those fake results that they used to declare hope Uzodimma winner,” he said.

“Nine days after the election, the Independent Electoral Commission’s Chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, the INEC Federal Commissioner in charge of south east, Mr Ken Ukaogu; the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Imo State Prof Silvia Agu, nine days after the election have refused to give us certified true copy.

“Inside the collation hall, they were mocking Labour Party. They were mocking us that we should go to court, that we should go to tribunal. The returning officer, Prof Abayomi Fasina was mocking us that we should go to court.

“Now, we have applied to them to give us CTC so that we can go to court. Nine days after the election, they are still delaying. They are deliberately frustrating us. As a law-abiding political party, as peace-loving people, we have come here so that the whole world will hear our voice.

“We have come here so that the whole world will hear that INEC is frustrating us they have denied us documents that we need. They are using technical reasons, they are saying there is a delay from one department to another.

“INEC we are begging you on bent knees, labour party we are gathered here in one voice, Imolites have come here in one voice, we have only one demand- CTC.”

Responding on behalf of the commission, Emmanuela Ben Opara, head of voter education and publicity, acknowledged that INEC received the request for the documents, adding that they are being assembled.

“The materials are being assembled as we speak so by tomorrow we give you the cost. On payment of the cost, we issue the materials to you. We are not saying we didn’t receive your application, we received your application and it’s being attended to,” she said.