Saturday’s bye-election conducted to find a replacement for Hon Toochi Okereke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) whose seat was recently declared vaccant was characterised by irregularities.
Blueprint correspondent who monitored the election gathered that over 50 masked men with several Hilux vans believed to have been sponsored by politicians invaded the local government area, and were patrolling all over the place in addition to the regular security agents.
While the exercise lasted, ballot box snatching and vote-buying were witnessed in almost all the polling booths in the area as the two main political parties tried to outsmart each other.
There were also reports of thumb-printing of ballot papers at Umuowa, Mbutu and many other areas by thugs and unidentified fake masked men.
It was also confirmed that members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were on election duty were abducted and their materials confiscated. Other adhoc officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suffered similar treatment.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the election, the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Francis Ezeonu, confirmed the irregularities, although no casualties were confirmed as at the time of the briefing.
He however, pleaded with the security agents to ensure that INEC officials returned safely.
Prof. Ezeonu assured the electorate that any result gathered outside the normal process would not be collated by INEC.