The Senator Athan Nneji Achonu Campaign Organisation has cried foul over the refusal of Prof Sylvia Agu, the Independent National Electoral Commision, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Imo State to release the Certified True Copies of documents used in the just concluded gubernatorial election in the state to it’s legal team.
The CTC documents are vital for the party’s next line of action after it was allegedly robbed of victory in the polls.
In a statement he personally signed, Mr. Chibuikem Diala,
Director, Media & Publicity of the
Senator Athan Achonu Campaign Organisation, accused the REC of delay tactics.
The statement read: “Our notice has been drawn to mischievous plans by Imo State INEC to deny our legal team access to certified true copies of documents used for the November 11 governorship election Imo State as required by law.
“This is after an official request has been made by our solicitors to the State INEC Office duly acknowledged and received on November 15, 2023.
“It is pertinent at this stage to alert the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies of this devious delay tactics, which may be to further deny our party and the candidate of labour Party in the November 11 election justice.”
Diala deplored the situation, saying it is unacceptable and insisted that INEC must do the needful immediately.
He wondered why the same INEC that hastily announced what it said was the result of the election, is now reluctant to release the CTC documents days after it received the request for them.
“Some pertinent questions begging for answers include: If INEC does not have anything to hide, and willing to come to equity with clean hands, why then are they delaying the release of the CTC of requested materials?
“INEC was so efficient to announce the results of 27 LGA in less than 12 hours after the elections, why then is it taking the same INEC over 144 hrs to issue the documents backing their pronouncements? One would expect a better and efficient approach from the electoral body.
“We only hope that this delay is not a decoy by Imo State INEC and agents of the APC-led government to perfect their rigging by tampering with sensitive materials in the INEC office.
“This strategy to deny the people of Imo State the opportunity to have a leader of their choice will not work, as we call on the INEC to do the needful and stop taking Imolites for granted.
“Therefore, we also call on the security agencies and the INEC led by Prof Mamoud to do all they can to ensure that the CTC are released as requested and timely too,” the statement further read.
Continuing it said the winner of the election as declared by the INEC is only a caretaker governor.
“While we wait for INEC to speedily do the needful, we further assure the caretaker governor in Imo State to enjoy his “Certificate of Return” only for a moment, as he will soon return it to the rightful owner.
“An Igbo adage says, “Onye Ji ihe nwata welie aka elu, obere oge, oga ewetu ya” (he who takes from a child and raises his hand up away from the child will soon get tired and release it.).
“The Labour Party and its governorship candidate,Senator Athan Achonu, will stop at nothing to ensure this mandate is retrieved from the usurpers.”