Achonu accuses Imo REC of blocking access to

.I have approved release of documents, replies REC

Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the November 11 election in Imo State, Athan Achonu, has accused Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state of denying him access to election results and material necessary for legal battle.

The allegation is contained in a statement issued at the weekend by the Director of Media and Publicity of Senator Athan Achonu Campaign Organisation, Chibuikem Diala.

Achonu specifically leveled the accusation against the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the commission in the state, Prof. Sylvia Agu, wondering why it took the election management body 12 hours to announce the results, but unable to release the same authenticated documents to his legal team over 144 hours.

But in his reaction, Agu countered the claim, saying she had approved the release of the requested documents.

Achonu’s statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to mischievous plans by Imo State INEC under Prof. Sylvia Agu to deny our legal team access to certified true copies of documents used for the November 11 governorship election Imo state as required by law. This is after an official request has been made by our solicitors to the state INEC office duly acknowledged and received on November 15, 2023.

“It is pertinent at this stage to alert the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to this devious delay tactics, which may be to further deny our party and the candidate of Labour Party in the November 11 election justice. This is unacceptable and we request that INEC do the needful immediately as time is of essence.”

The statement reads: “We only hope that this delay is not a decoy by Imo State INEC and agents of the APC-led government to perfect their rigging by tampering with sensitive materials in INEC office.”

This strategy to deny the people of Imo State the opportunity to have a leader of their choice will not work as we call on INEC to do the needful and stop taking Imo citizens for granted.’