PEOPLE OF IMO STATE HAVE GONE TO THE POLL TODAY TO ELECT A NEW GOVERNOR 11-11-23
By Sadiq Aminu The people of Imo state have gone to the poll today to elect a new Governor that will run the affairs of the state for the next four years.
Contrary to the assurance by INEC that voting would commence by 8.30am election materials did not get to many of the polling units visited in owerri municipal council, Oru east, Oru west and Oguta local government areas until around 9 o’clock in the morning.
At Otulu community primary school booth O02 and 003 in Oru West, accreditation and voting were seamless as bimodal accreditation and verification system BVAS functioned optimally.
At Ekwenja Okwu-Ozu Omuma ward booth 032 the state governor chief Hope Uzodimma who is a candidate in the election cast his vote around 11:40am where he commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for ensuring hitch-free election.
He also expressed satisfaction with the level of security arrangement put in place by law enforcement agents which he said has encouraged turn out.
Meanwhile there was a reported case of missing result sheet at egbe town school Oguta. The presiding officer Miss Sandra Adimone told newsmen that some unidentified men came straight to her table and disappeared with the result sheet
Voting continued after the incident but agents of the PDP and LP accused the INEC official of compromise and called for the discontinuation of voting until a result sheet was made available.
There was also a report of snatching of ballot papers and other sensitive materials at Inyishi in Ikeduru local government area where the candidate for the PDP hails from.
Turn out of voters have generally adjudged unimpressive as some of the polling units visited appeared scanty when compared to number of registered voters in the units.
Correspondent Sadiq Aminu reports that some communities in Orlu and Orsu local government areas were yet to receive voting materials as at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.