A group of civil society organizations (CSOs) has raised allegations against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding the upcoming governorship election in Imo State. The group, consisting of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) and the South-East Based Coalition Of Democracy And Human Rights Organizations, has accused INEC of planning to “harvest and write results” for the incumbent Governor Hope Uzodinma.
These accusations follow similar claims made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that INEC is importing compromised BVAS machines to favor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
During a press conference in Enugu, the CSOs questioned whether INEC would ensure a free, fair, secured, and credible election or manipulate the results to benefit Governor Uzodinma. The press conference was led by Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, the Board Chair of Intersociety, along with other prominent members of the organizations involved.
The CSOs have presented evidence and pointed out the prevailing circumstances that suggest INEC’s intention to manipulate the election results in favor of the incumbent. They also referred to the Nigeria Supreme Court’s verdict of January 14, 2020, which they claim resulted from the manipulation of results in the previous governorship election in Imo State.
Expressing their concerns, the CSOs warned that the upcoming election might witness a similar scenario, potentially involving the allocation of vast numbers of invalid or deceased votes to the incumbent. However, their own investigations and analysis of the situation in Imo State indicate that the true winner of the election, under fair conditions, would likely receive a significantly lower number of votes.
Based on their findings, the CSOs estimate that the genuine winner would receive between 90,000 and 130,000 valid votes out of a total possible maximum of 300,000 votes. They attributed these projections to the prevailing fears, chaos, and displacement of voters that have plagued the state since January 2021. They stressed the urgent need to protect Imo voters’ rights and their properties during the election.
The CSOs demanded that INEC takes visible measures to safeguard the sanctity of the ballot box and ensure a fair election process. They called for the strict enforcement of “No Result Sheets, No Voting” policy, relocation of collation centers to neutral venues, and the reversal of politically motivated staff postings. They also requested the transfer of specific INEC officials responsible for Imo State’s electoral processes.
The CSOs further expressed their concerns about the retention of certain Local Government Electoral Officers in Imo INEC, calling for their reassignment or replacement.
Letters addressing these concerns have been sent to INEC and various security agencies, urging them to take immediate action and protect the integrity of the upcoming governorship election in Imo State.
