The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, Professor Francis Ezeonu Tuesday expressed regrets at the challenges and irregularities witnessed at the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections in Imo.
Ezeonu made his view known at the Imo INEC interactive meeting with stakeholders in Owerri.
He noted that the meeting afforded the commission an opportunity to X-reay what happened during the February 23 election in the state.
The REC explained that there were a few hitches which impeded the early deployment of materials on the election day.
“There were deliberate efforts to frustrate the use of Registration Area Centres (RACs) and in some places, our water tanks were carted away soon after delivery and wires used in reticulation of the centres were removed and taken away.
“In a few places, the community members disrupted activities at the RAC centres.
“Out in the field, there were too much turmoil, we battled with thugs for INEC materials, corps members were hijacked and returning officers harassed and intimidated and in a few places forced to declare results that were obviously concocted under duress.
“Some other members of were obviously compromised. The maxim was either to play along or be battered.
“Our materials were destroyed and our office at Isiala Mbano burnt down by irate mob. At Isiala Mbano alone where the office was burnt, we lost 204 Smart Card Readers and over 600 ballot boxes among others.
“In Ohaji-Egbema we lost more than 30 Smart Card Readers. Our ballot boxes and other electoral materials were destroyed with impunity. This obviously is not our idea of an election.
“I regret that the election did not turn out as good as we planned,” the REC said.
Ezeonu explained that the most painful was that highly respected members of the society, who were supposed to demonstrate leadership allowed emotion and muscle to displace reason.
“For me, it is not a palatable experience. I had earlier warned that in this journey each one of us had a role to play.
“As the Resident Electoral Commissioner , I take responsibility for all the shortcomings during the last election and I pledge to make amends. However, there are issues for which I cannot be held liable,” he said.
(NAN)
