- LP state chairman, Callistus Ihejiagwa, addressed media during protests, expressing party grievances against the Commission’s conduct in the state.
- Ihejiagwa’s wife and children are grappling with the distress of witnessing his assault and expulsion from the collation center by All Progressives Congress thugs.
Due to purported access denials to election materials, Labour Party (LP) supporters stormed to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) headquarters in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, on Monday.
According to reports, the politicians voiced their displeasure over the purported denial of access to the records utilised for the November 11 governorship election.
Senator Athan Achonu, the candidate for the Labour Party in the recently held state gubernatorial election, alleged that the Commission had declined to furnish him with authenticated duplicates of the election materials.
In an apparent media address during the demonstration, LP state chairman Callistus Ihejiagwa emphasised the party’s complaints about the Commission’s actions in the state.
The LP chairman said, “INEC is frustrating us. Nine days after an official request was made by our solicitors to the State INEC office, this Commission has continued to deny our legal team access to certified true copies of documents used for the November 11 governorship election in the state as required by law.
“We have come to INEC to express our deep frustration at what is happening. Nine days ago, I was beaten up and thrown out of the hall like a common criminal while INEC and the heads of security agencies in the state looked on. We were mocked and asked to go to court.
“Nine days after they have refused us access. Why, then are they delaying the release of the CTC of requested materials? INEC was so efficient in announcing the results of 27 LGAs in less than 12 hours after the elections; why then is it taking the same INEC over 144 hours to issue the documents backing their pronouncements?”
Ihejiagwa mentioned that his wife and children are still struggling to overcome the distress of witnessing him being assaulted and expelled from the collation centre by thugs affiliated with the All Progressives Congress, all while security agents stood by.
Addressing the demonstrators, the Head of the Department of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC in Imo State, Ben-Opara Emmanuella, confirmed that INEC had received the LP application and assured them it was being addressed.
She said, “It’s your right to request for CTC. The materials are being assembled as we speak. We are already costing the material, and by tomorrow, we’ll give you the cost of payment.”