Guardian Nigeria
·Imo announces council elections five years after
The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated Governor Hope Uzodimma for his affirmation by the governorship and legislative tribunal sitting in Abuja as the duly elected governor of the state in the November 11, 2023, election.
In a statement issued at the weekend, the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Cajetan Duke, said that the party dedicated the victory to the Imo people.
Meanwhile, the governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Anyanwu, and of the Labour Party (LP), Athan Achonu, have described the judgement as a “miscarriage of justice and stolen mandate,” vowing to reclaim it.
Anyanwu, who came a distant second in the election, alongside Achonu had challenged the declaration of Uzodimma as the duly elected governor by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, rejecting the verdict, Anyanwu, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Ikenna Onuoha, vowed to challenge the judgement, expressing his determination to reclaim what he described as “his stolen mandate,” urging his supporters to remain loyal and peaceful.
It reads: “Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu has vowed to do everything within the ambit of the law to reclaim his stolen mandate, saying that the verdict of the Election Petition Tribunal is so inconsequential that it will not hinder him from achieving success at the end of the day.”
On his part, Achonu also rejected the judgement of the tribunal, declaring his readiness to appeal it.
Achonu, who made his decision known in Abuja, yesterday, alleged that the judgment is an affirmation of illegality in the electoral process. He, however, said that the judgement has not frustrated his belief in democracy.
Meanwhile, the Imo State government is set to conduct local council elections on September 21, 2024, after about five years of running the council administrations with unelected caretaker committees and sole administrators.
This is sequel to a statement issued in Owerri, at the weekend, by the Chairman of the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC), Charles Ejiogu.
The statement informed registered political parties that the election guidelines and other details could be obtained from the headquarters of the commission in Owerri.
The statement titled, ‘Notice of Local Government Election’ reads: “The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) wishes to inform all registered political parties and the general public that local council elections in the state will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2024.”
