The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Imo State chapter has stated that the party will not accept any result written from Sentiero Hotel room in today’s (Saturday) bye-election in Ngor-Okpala state constituency.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday, the Director-General of the New Media of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Collins Opuruzo, said the people of Ngor-Okpala voted massively for the PDP and the party would not accept anything contrary.
The party accused the Governor of Imo State , Hope Uzodinma and the All Progressives Congress, APC, of invading Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area with over 70 masked men in more than 20 Hilux vehicles.
Opuruzo said on their arrival, they shot a PDP official on his leg, adding that the victim is currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital at Mbaise.
The opposition party also alleged that the Owerri Zonal Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Kizito Ohuoha, was beaten to a pulp.
According to him, “The PDP agent, Engr. Ahamefula Ugwudi was kidnapped and taken to an unknown destination till now. The result sheets were taken. They earlier invaded Nnorie community, Ward 8, Booth 004 and later invaded booth 005 in Akpuru Nnorie Primary School and took the result sheets too.
“This is the war and criminality Uzodinma has brought upon innocent citizens in his desperation to win election,” Opuruzo alleged.
Daily Post correspondent, who monitored the election, gathered that serving commissioners, some APC senators, a reps member from Okigwe zone and the 27 LGAs chairmen in Imo, among others, were all on ground to monitor the exercise.
Also speaking, a former House of Representatives member, Hon Greg Egu, also accused the APC and his own cousin, Hon Obinna Egu of using masked security operatives led by one Nze Chinasa Nwaneri from government house to intimidate PDP members.
His words, “What happened here today is terrible. Knowing that Ngor-Okpala people are not ready to vote for them, APC decided to take it by force. Ballot papers were snatched from Booth 007 and so many other areas.”
Responding on behalf of the ruling party , the State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Cajetan Duke, said: “PDP is just raising false alarms from the comfort of their zone.
“The election is going on smoothly. If there is any fake security, it will only exist in the imagination of the PDP. The election is going on smoothly.”
Speaking on behalf of the electoral umpire, Prof Francis Ezeonu, INEC REC Imo State, confirmed the abduction of ad-hoc staff and snatching of electoral materials by unknown persons at the tail end of the electoral process.
The INEC boss said the commission received reports of violence, snatching of INEC materials, disruption of polls and attack on INEC personnel in some polling units even though no casualties have been recorded.
