Overview of the 2023 General Elections  in Imo state 

 

by Victor Duruamaku 

 

When the former president of the United States of America,(USA) made the famous definition of democracy on November,  19, 1863 as ” Government of the people by the people and for the people” he was definitely referring to a situation whereby eligible voters would have the liberty to freely choose those lead them through elections devoid of violence, intimidation,  harassments, financial inducement

 

Abraham Lincoln, indeed had envisaged a situation whereby periodically, those sadled with the responsibility to organize and conduct elections for a change in leadership would although not infallible do the best they could as is humanly possible to live above board so as to justify the confidence reposed in them

 

It is against this backdrop that one is at a lost to comprehend what transpired in both the February 25 and march 18, 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections and the state House of Assembly election in Imo state

 

Prior to the exercise, the nation’s Electoral umpire the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had repeatedly assured the anxious electorate of her preparedness to conduct a free, fair, credible and hitch free elections that would be acceptable by all including the international community

 

However, in all the 27 local government areas, 605 autonomous communities and Electoral wards, it was stories of late arrival of electoral materials, INEC officials, shoddy accreditation of voters barney and bedlam by party agents were rife and commonplace at the polling booths

 

Correspondents who meticulously monitored the conduct of the election, were mesmerised and aghast at the presence of heavily armed security personnel who not only blocked some of the major roads mostly those in the urban areas equally subjected motorists and other road users to rigorous searching and screening

 

The above not withstanding, what appears most nauseating and reprehensible is the brazen shameless display of brouhaha and abracadabra by both INEC officials and archins ostensibly by their power thirsty master’s intent to illegally secure victory at the polls by all means and at all cost

 

This do or die approach by these slave agents of darkness one inevitably marred the polls in a number places visited even by international observers

 

In Owerri Municipal for instance where voting commenced belatedly, around 12 noon, paid thugs were ubiquitous with the Uzii layout primary school premises where voters were told in clear terms on who to vote or else they risk being beaten up

 

At the Atta ward 1 which bore the inscription 004 and 007, where the elder statsman and chairman ohaneze Ndigbo council of elders Chief  Emmanuel C Iwuanyanwu voted along with his wife princes Frances the picture was a little bit different

 

Chief Iwuanyanwu who voted at exactly 10.45 am, told journalists, ” my polling units is in Atta which is my home town. Here everything is peaceful but the turnout today is far less than what we on February 25, during the presidential and National Assembly election but I do hope that more people will come to vote”

 

According to him, ” everything went on well and there has not been any complaint and we thank INEC for this and if every polling unit in this local government area (Ikeduru), would be like this, it will be nice”

 

Chief Iwuanyanwu further said, ” winners should be magnanimous in victory and whoever looses, providence and nature have relieved him of great burden and whosoever wins has a lot of burden”

 

He believed that politics should not be seen as a do or die affair but a call for service which requires honestly and transparency

 

At Amaraku ward 001 in the Isiala Mbano local government area, some restive youths there who attempted to disrupt the exercise were however called called to order by a chieftain of the All progressives Congress who is the state commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs Hon. Chief Rubby Emele

 

Mrs Emele who voted in her ward along with a number of her townsmen and women positively curtailed the excesses of some disgruntled and misguided elements within the vicinity

 

According to Hon Emele, ” election here is very peaceful and we thank God for the orderly and peaceful conduct of the people, there is no voter  apathy, as you can see many women came and voted and INEC is doing well

 

At the Akwakuma Girls secondary school, Orji primary school and other polling units in the Owerri North council area, snatching of ballot papers, sporadic shooting in to the air scared away voters, affray cacophony of nicotine and barbiturates, Indian hemp and marijuana took the center stage while voting lasted

 

In  Obowo, Ihitte Uboma and Ehime Mbano LGAs, which constitute Okigwe South federal constituency, some INEC staff were beaten to coma by irate youths who accused them of conniving with rival political parties to prevent justice

 

Similarly, voter apathy was manifest in some parts of Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Orsu council areas, shooting of political opponents rocked the exercise in Nwangele, Orlu and Ideato South local government areas

 

In the Nkwere Isu and Njaba local government areas, over 50 percent of the women folk shunned voting in apparent protest against alleging electoral malpractices and conspiracy by some unscrupulous INEC officials and agents of desperate politicians

 

On it’s part the police in the state during elections were not seen to have lived up to it’s statutory calling as the personnel allegedly abetted electoral malpractices

 

In a nutshell, one would believe that the nation still has a long way to go to sustain her democracy and imbibe acceptable political culture

 

Over voting and brazen manipulation of the electoral process by venal INEC officials in coneviance with some Government officials including state governors, remains a cog in the wheels of progress

 

Nigeria which prides herself as the giant of Africa and the most populous black Nation on earth cannot afford to hold credible elections to merit her a front seat in the global wind of democracy and rule of law, it’s a shame