Crisis rocks peace meeting, NLC strike threatens Imo poll
A peace meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Imo State ended in confusion on Tuesday in Owerri, the state capital, after the INEC National Commissioner representing South-East, Kenneth Ukeagu, ordered journalists to shut down their cameras and other gadgets.
Participants, particularly traditional rulers, at the session fled the hall as the interactive session ended in disarray following the opposition to Ukeagu’s directive by the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party members.
Also, in what could be described as another unsavoury development, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on Tuesday directed the workers in Imo State to commence a strike on Wednesday (today) in protest against Governor Hope Uzodimma who is seeking a second term in office in the poll.
There was anxiety that the strike could jeopardise the election as the INEC might not be able to distribute and transport materials due to the planned shutdown of the transport system and other public facilities in the state.
Trouble started during the Owerri meeting when Ukeagu, who represented the INEC chairman, directed journalists to switch off their equipment.
However, the directive was challenged by the Labour Party deputy governorship candidate, Tony Nwulu, who questioned the rationale behind the order.
Nwulu insisted there was no way the media would be shut out of the stakeholders’ meeting and queried if the meeting was “a secret cult.”
The running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Jones Onyereri, supported Nwulu, insisting that the media must be part of the session.
Onyereri alleged that the directive was “a confirmation that the All Progressives Congress had made arrangements with the electoral umpire to rig the election.’’
He also displayed copies of documents he described as fake results sheets allegedly published on the INEC portal during the House of Assembly election in the state.
His allegation led to a shouting match as the APC members in the hall surged towards the members of the opposition parties.
Fearing a possible outbreak of violence, traditional rulers, party leaders and the nine resident electoral commissioners deployed for the election fled the hall.
Our correspondent reports that the security agents including the police, Civil Defence Corps, and others could not control the rowdy situation as the party faithful rained verbal abuse on one another.
After the traditional rulers had left the meeting, normalcy was restored a few minutes later.
While INEC officials and party leaders who left the hall returned after normalcy was restored, the traditional rulers did not.
When the meeting resumed, opposition parties insisted on the transfer of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner.
The opposition parties demanded the removal of the state REC, Sylvia Agu, accusing her of working for the APC.
The leadership of the Labour Party has also chided the INEC for retaining Agu despite the outcry from the opposition.
Governorship candidates of the opposition political parties later staged a walkout from the meeting.
Party candidate while staging a walkout demanded the immediate redeployment of the INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Sylvia Agu.
They accused the chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, of alleged compromise.
Nwulu, who is the running mate of the LP candidate, who briefed journalists, said that if the IG could redeploy the state Commissioner of Police, the INEC chairman should have done the same to Agu.
But the state chairman of the APC, Ebere Macdonald who briefed journalists, said that the opposition parties were making baseless and unfolded claims.
INEC faults parties
INEC had announced in a statement issued on Tuesday that Agu would not be withdrawn from the state, adding that people calling for her transfer had not tendered any compelling evidence to warrant the move.
The electoral umpire declared that the REC would be assisted by several other national commissioners who would be physically present in Imo State to support her on Election Day.
The intimidation of labour leaders is obtainable only in Nigeria
Hmmm!!!
Ok