By Anthony anyanwu
Chieftains of the Imo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has raised alarm over plans by the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA to rig the forthcoming Oguta State Constituency – bye election scheduled for Saturday June 29.
PDP’s action is coming at the heels of recent sudden massive transfer of both staffers and ad-hoc workers of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) in the State and Oguta Local Government.
Fingered as the architect of the last minute trap for the PDP is the Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha who it is alleged may have influenced the sudden changes in INEC.
Penultimate weekend, Governor Okorocha feasibly was in various parts of Oguta campaigning for the APGA candidate in the said bye-election Hon Walter Uzonwanne against the PDP popular candidate Chief Eugene Dibiagwu.
Although it is not yet clear as at the time of this report whether INEC will uphold the changes or not as information reaching our newsroom has it that the leadership of the PDP in Imo State has officially petitioned to the National Secretariat of INEC in Abuja over the development.
Meanwhile not leaving anything to chance, the State Chapter of PDP is said to have mobilized both men and resources to counter any attempt to rig or influence the conduct of the said election.
Apart from embarking on a house to house campaign within the Oguta State Constituency, PDP is said to have raised several committees to execute the election which they see as a fight of supremacy between PDP and other political parties in the state.
Programmes preceding the expected “Mother of all battles” began for the PDP at the weekend when heads in the party stormed the palatial country home of Ogbuagu Francis Arthur Nzeribe for a crucial meeting.
At the gathering were high profile PDP members at National and State levels who discussed on the victory game of the PDP candidate. Among those who were in Oguta for the meeting include the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Hon Raphael Nnanna Igbokwe, Hon Jones Onyeriri, Capt Emma Ihenacho, Chief Jerry Chukwueke among many others.
