The National Youth Alliance, NYA Imo state chapter has derided the Saturday, September 21 council polls in Imo State as a slap on democracy.
The youth group said after its thorough review of the polls, it came to the conclusion that the state Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) is an enemy of the people of the state.
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In a statement signed by its Chairman, Theodore Chinonso Ubah, the group submitted that the ISIEC deliberately messed up the election at the behest of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government in the state.
Ubah said; “Voting materials such as ballot boxes, result sheets arrived as late as 2pm, 3pm, in most areas 4pm.
“NYA observed that the distribution of the electoral materials were selectively done. This is the height of election rigging.
“Sadly in most areas ISIEC never showed up till the day was gone. For this single deliberate act, many electorate were summarily disenfranchised.
“NYA believed that lack of result sheets at over 250 political wards at LGA election clearly shows that APC had already made use the result sheets to write the results in their favour.
“In some areas, police officers rough handled candidates who dared to challenge the brazen electoral malpractice of yesterday, inflicting degrees of injuries on some.
“For example, the ADC candidate for Umunoha/Azara Ward in Mbaitoli LGA had his neck broken by police officers attached. The only crime committed by this candidate was demanding to see the result sheet of the election he is involved in as a candidate.
“It's unfortunate that the government of Uzodimma has turned election in Imo into caricature, debasing and defiling the very tenets of democracy.
“This is the reason for the low turnout of yesterday's council election. Imo people had long lost interest in any election under Hope Uzodimma and the reason is incontestable; lack of integrity, trust and total disconnect with the government of the day.
“Therefore any result emanating from ISIEC is an already written result supervised by the government to give APC 27/27 as they have always boasted!
“This too won't be a surprise to Ndi Imo for they know whom the master is.
“NYA observed that those APC candidates are still government appointees who didn't resign from their position before being selected as candidates to stand for the election, which is illegal and a legal ground for their disqualification by any court of competent jurisdiction. Opponents could sue them for this.
“NYA therefore urges Ndi Imo not to lose hope of a better Imo state come 2027 to make all things right. For now let's make do with the Azigbakwa administration on ground till our day of salvation....
“To make Imo Work again is our collective responsibility!”
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