It further stated that LGAs where voters stayed away from voting for fear of losing their lives and properties or being targeted for assassination or arson.
Some operatives of the Imo State security outfit, Ebube-Agu, in Awo-Omamma ward located in Oru East allegedly threatened and forced Imo State electorates to vote for Governor Hope Uzodimma, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s election.
This was contained in a report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, which also noted that it was surprising how of the three Governorship Polls held, Imo, with 27 local government areas (LGAs) “magically became the fastest to be delivered in less than 24 hours as against Bayelsa’s three days with only 8 LGAs.”
The Intersociety which said that it had predicted in October that the election would be compromised said that it also found out that most of the “540,000 votes allocated to the INEC-declared winner of the shambolic poll were harvested and written.”
“The allocated “540,000 votes” to the INEC-declared winner also magically surpassed the total lawful votes cast arising from the 2023 Presidential Poll in the State (459,261) garnered by the trio of Peter Obi of Labor Party (352, 904), Ahmed Bola Tinubu of APC (66, 171) and Atiku Abubakar of PDP (30, 004).
“Of the three Governorship Polls held (in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa); Imo, with 27 local government areas (LGAs) and most difficult terrains (according to INEC’s earlier statements), magically became the fastest to be delivered in less than 24 hours as against Bayelsa’s three days with only 8 LGAs,” the report said.
“Election only took place in some areas of some LGAs including Owerri Municipal, Owerri West, Mbaitolu, Ikeduru, etc. It was very risky and life threatening to vote in Imo especially in over half of the State’s 27 LGAs under siege.
“Voting in those areas could attract instant or post-election targeted violence against persons and properties including assassination and house burning by dreaded Ebubeagu and Government-linked political death squads or armed non-state actor squads.
“At St Paul Catholic Church near Owerri Waterside, where voting took place, voter intimidation was the order of the day and attempts not to vote for the opposition candidates became the beginning of wisdom. Political thugs and Ebubeagu dreaded militias were also let loose on a few courageous voters.
“In Ehime Mbano, the stronghold of one of the opposition candidates, live bullets were flying from left, right and center chasing away those that mustered courage to come out and vote. Soldiers, Police Crack Squads (Tiger Base, etc) and Ebubeagu killer militias and Government-allied others were fully deployed to terrify and terrorize the voting arenas and voters.
“At Nkwere, for instance, one Chinasa Nwanneri and a notorious Tiger Base Police IRT Commander, “Chukwukadiba” were reported to have held the area under siege leading to a confrontation with some personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps.”
It further stated that LGAs where voters stayed away from voting for fear of losing their lives and properties or being targeted for assassination or arson, “INEC officials were reported to have a field day harvesting and writing results using compromised arenas within the Headquarters of such Local Government Areas.
“Such was the case in Okigwe, substantial parts of Ideato North, Ideato South, Orsu, Orlu, Isu, Njaba, Oru East, etc.
“In places like Ideato North where election took place in very few polling units, voters were beaten mercilessly for wanting to vote independently. In Ehime-Mbano, NYSC corpers were reported to have compromised their duties and were forced to do dirty jobs.
“In Isiala-Mbano and Ikeduru, gunshots and ballot box snatching were the order of the day; likewise in Mbaitoli and Oru West, characterized by vote-buying and voter intimidation. Oguta and environs were also a no go area.
“In Awo-Omamma located Oru East with three electoral wards, voting did not take place in most of them. In its ward 2 with 18 polling units, election only took place in two polling units: Pioneer Primary School (1 and 2) with polling units 007 and 011.
“The voting arenas there were held under siege by dreaded Ebubeagu militias, threatening and forcing voters to vote for the candidate of APC.
“Election did not place and no INEC officials were seen throughout the period of the election in the remaining 16 polling units of 001-Umubochi Primary School, 002-Okwuorji Primary School, 003-Umudim Hall, 004-Ubachima Primary School, 005-Umuelibe Primary School, 006-Ugobie Market Square, 008-Amaji Primary School-1, 009-Amaji Primary School-2, 010-Umuifa Hall, 012-Duru Anowa Hall, 013-Amaekele Umuchukwu, 014-Orie Ukwuorji, 015-Ama Ugweru Village Square, 016-Ojubia Square, 017 Umuduru Otutu Hall and 018 Ekenkika Market Hall,” the statement added.