A demonstration is underway at the Ikenegbu Girls Polling Unit in the Owerri municipal council, triggered by the replacement of Polling Unit officers who had been trained on the use of the BVAS. This sudden change has sparked outrage, with the party alleging that the electoral umpire intends to manipulate the election in favor of the APC.
Mr. Madu, a self-identified member of the Labour Party and a potential voter, expressed astonishment at the sudden replacement of Polling Unit personnel who had been initially deployed to the voting center.
The spokesperson for the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate, Chibuikem Diala, asserted that this situation was not unique to Ikenegbu Girls Polling Unit but was occurring throughout the state. According to him, the campaign organization has uncovered a pattern where originally trained PU officers by INEC are replaced at the last minute by individuals who did not undergo INEC’s training, raising concerns about the fairness of the election process.
He said, “The Senator Athan Achonu Media Centre wishes to alert security agents and patriotic INEC staff, especially those sent from outside Owerri for this election, about plans already concluded to compromise the BVAs for use for today’s election by the RATECH team.
“A reliable intel from some LGAs in Owerri Federal Constituency has uncovered plans by the technical team in those LGAs discussing issuing wrong passwords to some of the ad hoc staff for this election.
“Specifically, this devious plan was being discussed at the Owerri Municipal and Owerri North Local Government Areas where the Head of the RATECH team has concluded plans to issue wrong passwords to PO, especially those posted to polling units with large voters. According to the source, the instruction is to ensure that some of the BVAS malfunction at the Polling Units.
“The purpose is to either generate a fake result or frustrate the voting process in specific areas where the riggers do not have a strong presence. This is shameful and devilish.
“All party agents in every booth and ward, as well as voters, should hold the ‘RATHEC Team responsible, not the POs, wherever BVAs password is wrong because it has been compromised. We also urge all POs to escalate this criminality wherever it is found.
“The agents and indeed all Imo Voters must resist this and insist that the proper thing is done.
“We vehemently condemn this evil plot and call on the INEC Commissioners we have been told were seconded to the state to ensure a free, fair, and smooth exercise to forestall this, as the opposition parties can never accept it.
“We request that the head of the RATECH team in Owerri Federal Constituency and indeed all other LGAs should be cautioned before they discredit a process that is meant to yield positive outcomes.
“We also charge security operatives to ensure that compromised INEC staff do not create a crisis during this electoral exercise.”
