*As APC accuses PDP of plot to rig polls

By Chidi Nkwopara & Chinonso Alozie

OWERRI—Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, says he has moved his Command Headquarters to Okigwe, ahead of the senatorial re-run election scheduled to hold in the area on July 23, 2016.

CP-Lakanu

According to a press statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, the police warned political parties, their agents and supporters, to conduct themselves in accordance with the Electoral Act and guidelines, so as to ensure orderly and violence-free election in the affected areas of the State.

While warning political parties to make their campaigns issue based, the police equally warned that it would not tolerate the use of abusive or inflammatory languages during the period.

The Police also warned that all the security agencies in the state would not tolerate protests, demonstration or procession on the day preceding the poll and on the day of the election.

“No security outfit should be seen around the polling centres during the election except those officially deployed for the election duties and they include the Police, Directorate of State Services, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp, NSCDC, Customs, Immigration, Prisons, FRSC and NDLEA. Any other security outfit seen within the polling or collation centers will be arrested and prosecuted,” the police warned.

Warning politicians, govt officials
While warning that no politician or government official whether contesting or not shall be allowed to be accompanied by any security official such as orderlies or escorts to the voting and collation centres, the police also warned that unauthorized vehicle(s) blaring siren would be impounded.

“Voters will not be allowed to loiter around the voting centers after casting their votes but would be allowed to stay peacefully within 300 meters away from the voting centers if they so wish.  Only security agencies, INEC officials, certified political party agents and accredited observers would be allowed around the collation centres,” the police warned.

APC accusations
Meanwhile, the leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, Imo State, yesterday, raised alarm over what it termed “the plot by some Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftains to rig the forthcoming Okigwe senatorial re-run election”.

The State APC Chairman, Dr. Hilary Eke, stated this yesterday in Owerri while briefing journalists on the preparedness of his party to face the election.

“It has come to the knowledge of APC that some PDP chieftains from within and outside the state, have perfected plans to rig the Okigwe senatorial re-run election”, Eke said.

Giving details of the alleged plan, Eke said: “The Resident Electoral Commissioner is from Enugu and is a cousin to the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha. You can see their plan to rig this election.”

The Imo APC chairman claimed most of the youth corps members engaged for the exercise are from Enugu State and wondered why they should all come from Enugu.

While mentioning some specific names as being the brains behind the alleged manipulation process to rig this election, Dr. Eke called on INEC management to “please correct these anomalies before the election”.

No plan to boycott
Answering a question, Eke disclosed that his party does not have any plan either to boycott or rig the elections.

“We have no plans to boycott the election. We advise that INEC should not allow the election to be rigged. We are ready and prepared for this election and APC will win, “, Eke said.

Continuing, the APC chieftain said that PDP has never won any election in the state without depending on rigging, stressing that PDP was warming up to rig the poll.

Vanguard recalls that the re-run election, which has been scheduled for this weekend, will hold simultaneously in Owerri West, Oru East and Isiala Mbano local council areas.

Allegations of a drowning man
Reacting to the allegation, a chieftain of the PDP, Mr. Chibuike Onyeukwu, described it as “baseless, unfounded and a figment of the imagination of a drowning man.

“The Imo APC boss knows that his party is ill-prepared for this re-run election. From all indications, APC is afraid of the outcome of the polls, following what citizens are currently passing through in the state”, Onyeukwu said.

While recalling that this was similar to what the party did when the re-run was initially scheduled, Mr. Onyeukwu also said that “instead of admitting defeat ahead of the exercise, they are now looking for who to blame for their ineptitude”.