By Chidi Nkwopara

The leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, obviously took the gubernatorial poll in Imo State for granted. They believed that they had the structures, as well as the completed and on-going projects executed by the present administration as their sound testimonial. Events have since shown that it was their biggest mistake.

The opposition parties took their time to reach the rural communities and, in the process, placed all manner of information at the disposal of the citizenry. The rumour mills took over and even state projects,  for instance, were branded federal projects.

 The Ikedi Ohakim administration saw itself constantly defending itself. At other times, it made strenuous efforts to diffuse damaging rumours that had taken roots among Imo people. This situation subsisted until the April general elections.

The first upset in the state was the triumph of All Progressive  Grand Alliance, APGA, in the National Assembly elections in the state. APGA won the Owerri senatorial seat, as well as the Owerri and Ideato North and South federal constituencies. The votes they garnered in other areas ultimately proved that APGA meant business.

It must be noted that despite the big names in Action Congress of Nigeria  (ACN),  including Chief Achike Udenwa, Seantor Ifeanyi Araraume, Dr. Alex Obi, Okenze Sylvester Obinna, Chief Charles C. Uba and Chief Noel Agwuocha Chukwukadibia, the party failed woefully to make any impact in the minds of the people, as well as in the polls.

The climax was the governorship and House of Assembly elections, which was declared inconclusive by the Vice Chancellor (Academic), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Professor Enoch Akobundu, who doubled as the returning officer.

Akobundu  has largely been blamed for the political stalemate  in the state. All the respondents interviewed by  Sunday Vanguard believed that if the man had taken prompt decision on the results collated by the out station INEC staff, the tension in the state would have long been averted.

“The returning officer obviously displayed double standards in the process of announcing the results. He announced the result of Owerri North local government area, even when he knew that no voting took place in Orji”, Mazi Ikechukwu Ukaegbu fumed.

Continuing, Ukaegbu also expressed worry that  Akobundu had given out the figures for Oguta local government area before he suddenly realized that the poll was inconclusive and INEC had to arrange a supplementary election to decide who governs the state.

On its part, the Nigeria Police deployed over 10,000 of its personnel to the four local council areas where the planned supplementary governorship and House of Assembly polls  were held.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, Mrs. Ivy Okoronkwo, who disclosed this during the pre-election press briefing at the state police headquarters, Owerri, also assured the citizenry of the neutrality and preparedness of the security agencies to play their constitutional role during the polls.

“This number is made up of men from anti-riot Police Mobile Force, PMF, anti-terrorism squad, ATS, conventional policemen and anti-bomb squad”, Okoronkwo said.

While saying that  sister security agencies will provide a good number of their personnel to complement police efforts, the DIG  said that each polling unit would be adequately manned and vehicular patrols would cover all the polling council areas.

He warned that thuggery and hooliganism would not be tolerated in any part of the state, adding that anybody caught with any offensive weapon will have  himself to blame.

“The use of tinted glasses, covered number plates or provocative inscriptions or slogans is prohibited. All the political parties participating in the supplementary elections are advised to avoid making inflammatory statements capable of heating up the polity that is already charged”, the DIG warned.

She also sounded a  note of warning that “before, during or after the elections, any individual or group, no matter how highly placed, who may be tempted for whatever reasons to embark on use of incisive statements, rumour mongering or any other act cable of jeopardizing public safety, would be made to face the full wrath of the law”.

Okoronkwo  urged Imo people not to see the exercise as a do-or-die affair, even as she appealed to parents and guardians to warn their children and wards to desist from any act of violence and other vices that could  mar of the election.

INEC also did some internal surgery. It summarily suspended about four of its staff serving in Imo  and others charged to court for alleged complicity in the political stalemate  in the state.

The supervisory Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, for Imo State, Aniedi Abasi Ikoiwak, who disclosed this while briefing the press in Owerri, however, resisted the temptation of rolling out the names of the affected INEC staff.

“We have thoroughly examined all INEC staff in respect of the conduct of past elections in the state and those found wanting have been suspended and some others charged to court”, Ikoiwak said.

He further revealed that “INEC staff were brought in from six states and if we discover any funny or strange conduct from any of them, we will act accordingly”. The REC added  that four electoral officers appointed from different states had been posted to the affected four local council areas.

“We are poised to live up to expectation. We are not interested in who wins or loses  but to ensure that the exercise is credible and transparent. Results will be announced after all electoral formalities had been concluded”, Ikoiwak  said.

At the end of the supplementary poll, Chief Rocha Anayo Okorocha, the gubernatorial candidate of  APGA  was declared winner of the governorship election in Imo State. He polled a total of 336,859 votes to beat his closest rival of Ohakim, who scored 290,496 to place second in the contest with a margin of 46,363.

Araraume of the ACN placed a distant third with a total of 107,608 votes, while Chief Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) scored a paltry 3,063.