The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized the recent local council elections held on Saturday, calling it an orchestrated fraud. PDP Chairman, Austine Nwachukwu, voiced the party’s discontent during a press briefing in Owerri, where he expressed outrage over what he described as the manipulation of the electoral process.
Nwachukwu accused the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) of colluding with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to stage a sham election. He claimed that voting did not take place in the designated polling units but instead occurred in hotels and the offices of the sole administrators in the 27 local government areas.
According to Nwachukwu, the election was a blatant assault on democracy. “What we witnessed today, September 21, 2024, is nothing short of a disgrace. The so-called local government election was an organized fraud, a complete subversion of democratic principles,” he stated. He went on to claim that no real elections were held across the state, as many polling units lacked electoral materials and officials.
He described a scene of frustration among voters who, after waiting for hours to cast their ballots, eventually gave up and returned home. “By 4 pm, sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials had not arrived at most polling units. Electoral officers were nowhere to be found. It became clear that there would be no voting,” Nwachukwu added.
The PDP leader also accused ISIEC of delivering sensitive election materials directly to APC leaders and their allies in various local government areas, bypassing the official voting process. He noted that the PDP had earlier raised concerns about plans to rig the election, accusing ISIEC of violating the electoral act and its own guidelines.
Nwachukwu further highlighted that, up until election day, ISIEC had failed to release a list of candidates, publish the voter register, or hold any consultations with political parties and candidates, all of which are legal requirements. “This is the height of their criminality,” he remarked, pointing to the lack of transparency in the selection of electoral officers and ad-hoc staff. He emphasized that ISIEC had not advertised for these positions, raising doubts about the integrity of the process.
Nwachukwu also condemned the actions of Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration, accusing it of being out of touch with the people. He argued that the government’s handling of the local elections reflected its broader failure in governance.
“The way the Uzodimma administration has conducted itself during these elections is proof of its complete disconnect from the people. A government that is confident in its performance would not fear the ballot,” he concluded, labeling the entire process as a disgrace to democracy.
