There was panic at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s collation centre for the supplementary election in Orlu/Orsu/Oru West Federal Constituency of Imo State as political thugs invaded the centre and tore the result sheets.
The political thugs beat the intelligence of the security men at the entrance of the collation centre and made their way straight to the podium where the exercise was going on and disrupted the process.
Apart from tearing the result sheets into shreds, the political thugs, who did not reveal the identity of the political party they were working for, alleged that the process had been compromised.
While the agents of the various political party fled immediately, the Returning Officer ran immediately he realised that the thugs were not security men.
INEC’s spokesperson in the state, Emmanuel Opara, told The PUNCH that the electoral umpire was aware of the incident.
She, however, said that the commission was meeting to take a decision on the matter.
The police spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, said that the command was also confirmed the incident.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party in a statement issued on Sunday by its state publicity secretary, Damian Opara, alleged that the political thugs were working for the All Progressives Congress.
The leading opposition party said that the thugs disrupted the process because its candidate was winning the election.
It, therefore, urged the police to arrest and prosecute the political thugs.
The PDP urged INEC to go ahead and declare its candidate, Jerry Alagbaso, the winner of the election.
There was no reaction from the APC as of the time of filing this report.
An appeal court in Owerri had in November partially nullified the victory of Alagaboso and ordered a supplementary election in 18 polling units in the federal constituency.
The appeal court’s judgment was following an appeal brought before it by the APC candidate, Eddy Iheanacho.
The PDP candidate was first elected into the house of representatives in 2011.
PUNCH
