Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa gov elections: INEC worries over rising insecurity as LP candidate begs Tinubu to intervene in Imo poll

 

Ahead of the November 11 governorship elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states, the Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday, raised concerns over the rising cases of insecurity in the states.

 

The commission in a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, has appealed to political parties and their candidates to avoid actions and utterances capable of heating up the polity.

 

Olumekun said, “The commission is concerned about the spate of insecurity and violence, including clashes among supporters of political parties and candidates in the forthcoming elections.

 

“In our engagement with political parties, the commission has constantly called on parties to rein in their supporters from actions capable of jeopardising the peaceful conduct of elections in Nigeria.

 

“INEC earnestly appeals to all political parties and candidates to avoid utterances and acts that may heat up the polity. The commission will continue to closely monitor the situation and sustain its engagement with security agencies and stakeholders to ensure a peaceful conduct of elections in the three states.”

Olumekun also stated that despite this notice and subsequent reminders, political parties had yet to substantially comply by submitting the list of their agents.

 

He explained, “The commission notified all political parties of the opening of its online portal for the upload of the list of polling units and collation centre agents, which commenced on Thursday 24th August 2023. The commission thereafter engaged party representatives on the methodology for a seamless process.

 

“However, despite this notice and subsequent reminders, political parties are yet to substantially comply by submitting the list of their agents. For Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states, only 55% of the expected total of 189,180 polling unit agents have been uploaded to the designated INEC portal. Specifically, 29,278 out of the expected 40,372 (72.5%) for Bayelsa State; 51,681 out of 85,644 (60.3%) for Imo, and 23,720 out of 63,144 (37.6%) for Kogi State have been uploaded.

 

 

“Similarly, only 25.1% of the expected 15,804 Collation Agents in the three states have been uploaded: 1,246 (26.0%) out of 4,806 for Bayelsa; 1,638 (27.3%) out of 5,994 for Imo, and 1,095 (21.9%) out of 5,004 for Kogi State.

 

“The Commission hereby wishes to further remind Political Parties that the portal will automatically shut down at 12:00 midnight on Tuesday, October 10 2023. There shall be no extension. Consequently, all parties sponsoring candidates for the elections that are yet to upload the list of their agents should do so before the deadline for the exercise.”

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Imo State, Athan Achonu, has asked President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing air strikes in the Okigwe Local Government Area of the state.

 

At a press conference on Sunday, in Owerri, the state capital, Achonu said that the bombardments had rendered many homeless while others have lost their loved ones.

 

He berated the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, for what he said was his inability to tackle insecurity in the state.

 

Achonu said that Uzodimma had recently boasted that he was allegedly going to bomb an unnamed community, saying that the governor knew everything about the military air strikes going on in the Okigwe LGA.

 

 

 

 

He called on the president to set up an investigative panel to unravel what he called the wanton killing of people and destruction of lives and properties in the area.

 

The LP governorship candidate said, “It is with so much grief and sadness that I address the nation today, on the ongoing multiple bombardments happening in Okigwe zone, which has led to the destruction of lives, properties, and livelihood.

 

“As I address you now, so many families are left homeless, scores dead and many missing and yet to be accounted for. It grieves my heart, that these dastardly acts are being directed at defenceless citizens.

 

 

“Permit me to state categorically that this measure of state-sponsored violence and destruction should not be meted to any zone or community for any reason while we await the security agencies to unravel those behind this unjustified bloodshed and destructions.”

 

He stated further, “I want to call on Mr. President once again, to set up a high-powered investigative panel to unravel the perpetrators behind the wanton killings and destruction of properties currently going on in Imo State, and more so, to use this office to call the Imo State governor to order, especially following his recent threats of “bombing” communities in parts of Imo State.

 

 

“Let me also use this medium to appeal to those families affected by these dastardly acts not to take laws into their own hands. We will make sure that justice prevails. ”

 

When contacted, the Special Adviser to the governor, Public Communications, Collins Ughalaa, said that Achonu’s claims were false.

 

The governor’s aide said, “It is laughable that Athan Achonu is accusing the governor falsely.

 

“Achonu, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, is a confused guber candidate. He is not in touch with reality. If he was in touch with reality, he would have known that just a few days ago, the Nigerian Army said they had launched a military operation in the Southeast codenamed’ Operation Golden Dawn III.’

 

“I wonder how legitimate military operations against insecurity in the Southeast could be blamed on the governor. Athan Achonu is against security operations against bandits because he calls them his brothers.

 

“Some bad boys under the bad influence of some unscrupulous politicians are causing havoc in some communities in Okigwe zone where Achonu comes from. Achonu prevaricates on sensitive issues such as security and prefers to hide under press conferences to accuse an innocent man who is doing his best to address the politically orchestrated insecurity in Imo State.”

 

The public communications SA added, “So far, the governor has recorded tremendous success in the fight against insecurity and it is uncalled for that Achonu could level baseless accusations against the governor, who himself is a victim of insecurity.

 

“This is not the time for trading blames. It is the time for concerted efforts to tackle insecurity, and Achonu should say where he stands, whether on the side of the governor or on the side of the bandits terrorising communities.”