INEC Commissioner Catches Electoral Officials For Thumb Printing Ballots In Imo State
Mike Igini, the Resident Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission for Edo State, today foiled electoral fraud by a group of INEC officials in Oru East local government area during today’s supplementary election for the governorship of Imo State.
Mr. Igini is in Imo State as part of a reinforcement of INEC officials deployed to the state to oversee today’s supplementary election in areas where elections were either not held on April 11 or the process was invalidated by INEC due to massive fraud or violence.
Our correspondent in Imo State reported that Mr. Igini was in the company of top police officers, including an Assistant Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, when he came upon INEC officials who were engaged in massive thumb printing of ballot papers. Mr. Igini immediately interrogated the errant INEC staff and ordered their immediate arrest when they could not explain their illicit activities.
A security source told our correspondent that 15 suspects were arrested, among them INEC officials and their non-INEC collaborators. The source also disclosed that the suspects were caught near the country home of Senator Hope Uzodimma, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “The only woman among those who were arrested claimed that she is the sister of Senator Uzodimma,” our source disclosed. The suspects have been moved to the state capital Owerri for further interrogation.
Meanwhile, today’s supplementary elections have been marked by sporadic violence and fraud.
In polling unit 19 of Orodo 1, the polls have been cancelled due to the snatching of ballot papers and result sheet.
In polling unit 021 of Ogwa Ward 2, there was also an incident of snatching of ballot papers and result sheet. INEC officials said they were on top of the matter.