By Okey Alozie
Mountainous petitions have been heaped with the Imo State Local Government elections tribunal since the conclusion of council polls.
Our source revealed that several petitions arising from the September 21st 2024 Local Government election in Imo state have flooded the Tribunal office and those petitions from aggrieved persons and groups are awaiting defence as we gathered.
Our source also hinted that the tribunal will be expected to commence sitting any moment from now so as to handle the matters in line with the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.
This paper gathered that some of the elected councilors and chairmen are in serious panic now, even though they have been sworn-in.
Our roving reporter who went round the 27 local government areas of Imo State on Tuesday 15th of October 2024 to monitor the inauguration of the 305 Councilors of APC said to have won the 21st September election, observed that things were done in a low-key as the councilors could not celebrate much for the fear of losing at the tribunal.
The programme as we further gathered was very short and there was a lot of mixed up and drama which played out in some council headquarters during the inauguration.
Good number of APC leaders were not physically seen during the inauguration of the councilors and principal officers at various local government areas. Some of the leaders who spoke to us under anonymity revealed that there is bitterness and anger in APC after the council polls.
According to the aggrieved party leaders, “some people have hijacked the party affairs as if it is their own personal property”.
It could be recalled that the conduct of the local government elections by the independent Electoral commission of the state known as ISIEC came under heavy criticism by the opposition parties especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which is the major opposition party in Imo State.
PDP and other opposition groups alleged that the council poll was a sham.
Imo State chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association also condemned the conduct of the elections while calling for the resignation of the ISIEC Chairman, Chief Charles Ejiogu.
It is also expected that the legal fireworks arising from the petitions will start as soon as the Tribunal swings into action.
Concerned Imo groups said they have been waiting for a long time for the legal fireworks to commence and for them to see the caliber of people that will be members of the election petition tribunal.
