Labour Party in Imo State has called for immediate removal of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Sylvia Agu, all electoral officers and supervisory presiding officers, over alleged ineptitude in Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

The party also said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state, and the state government, led by Hope Uzodinma, “should be held liable for inciting insurrection if her actions result in post-election violence in the state.”

The party Chairman, Ambrose Onyekwere, who stated this in a press briefing, held in Owerri, yesterday, highlighted reasons, which necessitated the demands.

Onyekwere said: “We wish to put on record the widespread and mind-boggling ineptitude of INEC in the conduct of last Saturday’s election in Imo.

“Our areas of complain include, but not limited to the following: late arrival of voting materials at polling units; non conduct of election at many polling units; absence of INEC staff at polling station in many places; and deliberate subversion of the electoral process by INEC staff.

“We interpret the actions of INEC as a deliberate and systematic disenfranchisement of citizens of the state. We call for immediate removal of the REC, all electoral officers and supervisory presiding officers in the state. We reject, in advance, any and all results for the House of Assembly elections scheduled for March 11 if conducted by the current REC and her team.”

Also, Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Ike Uzochukwu, has been under arrest by the Department of State Security (DSS) since Sunday.

According to information obtained from a reliable source, he was arrested on Sunday from Hotel Royal Damgrete, in Umuahia, during Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, held in the state.

Also, information gathered from his office on Sunday revealed that having worked till Sunday morning, he got very weak and went to have some rest, and was yet to report for duty.

Calls made to state Department of State Services (DSS) to clarify the arrest were not successful. (The Guardian)

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