By okey alozie
There are serious indications that last Saturday’ election was not free and fair in many Local Government Areas of Imo State.
Our reporter who covered the event revealed that INEC materials did not arrive at centres on time, moreover officials did not report to polling booths at the appropriate time.
An INEC electoral officer in Owerri Municipal Mr Akitunde who spoke to newsmen said the electoral materials were dispatched at the stipulated time to various areas for election to start on or before 9am. According to him accreditation of voters was supposed to start very early but it was unfortunate that the dispatched materials did not get to the booths in time.
Akitunde revealed that over 600 youths were engaged to work for INEC in each local government area.
In Mbaise the officials were said to have a lot of challenges which affected the smooth conduct of the election.
Information revealed that election was inconclusive in some areas as money was said to have exchanged hands.
Trumpeta gathered that both voting and accreditation started very late. According to report as at 11am no electoral material was seen at any of the polling booths in Mbaise.
When the accreditation started in some places the exercise was said to have been mared by crisis and irregularities. Some of the culprits were said to have been arrested by security agents.
At Ahiazu Mbaise it was a big battle between the political heavy-weights.
Senator Chris Anyanwu who spoke to our reporter at Enyiogugu complained that the officials of INEC were funny and could not live up to expectations.
She regretted that accreditation started very late, adding that things did not work out fine as expected by Nigerians.
The APC chieftains who spoke to our reporter disclosed that PDP people came out massively to rig the election and cause confusion at polling centres.
A cross section of Imolites who spoke to our reporter at various centres complained bitterly about card reading machines and the conduct of the election. At Okwunwegbu election was in conclusive as party agents were reported to engage in a free for all fight.
