By Okey Alozie
Irregularities, alleged frauds and malpractices are said to have trailed the council polls primaries of the Imo APC faction known as Rescue Mission group otherwise ascribed as Governor Rochas Okorocha’s followers.
Reports from the Twenty Seven (27) Local Government Areas of Imo State show that it was only the chairmanship position primaries that was agreed to be conducted while the councillorship is in the Six hundred and sixty four (664) autonomous communities were scheduled for today Tuesday.
Reports also revealed that so many aspirants were short-changed as money exchanged hands coupled with hijack of sensitive materials by hoodlums who worked for some party leaders and desperate aspirants.
In Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area, the exercise was mered with fraud. Observers said there were no materials brought for the primaries but it was suspected that some of the leaders of the rescue mission Government hijacked the sensitive materials to use them to work for the aspirants of their choices. It was further alleged that unidentified youths of APC stormed the house of one of the leaders suspected to have hijacked the materials.
The T.C Chairman of Aboh Mbaise local government area Hon Mrs Ester Eburuche who confirmed the alleged misbehavior of some leaders revealed that there were secret plans by some State Development Coordinators (SDC) in Aboh Mbaise LGA to favour one Hon Chuks Osuji without conducting any primaries. She raised alarm on the irregularities and hijack of the sensitive materials and called for the governor’s intervention.
In Ihitte Uboma LGA, there was no open primaries conducted but the leaders came out for harmonization. The five people aspiring for the chairmanship position were asked to cast their votes among themselves in order to produce a single candidate but this arrangement was trailed with controversy as the aspirants that were edged out through the process, protested and insisted that they must go to the field to test their popularity. One of the aggrieved aspirants for the chairmanship position who said he was dribbled out described the exercise as fraudulent and stated that it is totally unacceptable by him and his supporters.
Owerri North LGA was enmeshed in crisis as officials for the exercise were attacked at Ulakwo/Agbala where one of them was badly injured.
At Eziobodo in Owerri West LGA some agents were beaten to coma while primary materials were hijacked along the road. Leaders were accused by the youths of being biased.
There was no election in Ehime Mbano local government area. The House of Assembly member representing the area in the State house of Assembly, Hon Lawman Duruji who confirmed the story could not give details of what led to the crisis.
In Ngor Okpala LGA, the Transition Committee Chairman, Hon Chidi Eke claimed he was schemed out by the leaders who threatened him, vowing to continue the election through other means.
In Ahiazu Mbaise, one of the Aspirants, Chief Aductus Onuoha told Trumpeta that the exercise was postponed till after the party’s National Convention.
In Ohaji/Egbema, hoodlums suspected to be militants chased out the crowd at the designated place for the primaries and carted away the materials. Reporters at Mabitoli and Ikeduru LGAs said the exercise was a sham as delegates waited in vain, while the leaders wrote names of their choice candidates from their homes.
Meanwhile, Imo APC State Secretariat located along Okigwe road has turned to protest ground since Saturday following the alleged irregularities at the rescue mission council polls primaries at various communities.
Our reporter who visited the place last Sunday revealed that different groups stormed the place to register their grievances and called for the conciliation of the primaries on the ground that high level of corruption was displayed by party leaders and officials.
The most peaceful Local Government in the primaries was recorded in Obowo where Hon Paschal emerged unopposed.
Reports showed that there was no single problem at Obowo LGA during and after the primaries.
There is an indication that places where the primaries could not take place will hold the rescheduled primaries after the APC National Convention which comes up on Saturday.
