Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressive Congress, APC, has been petitioned before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal by the governorship candidate of the African People’s Alliance, APA, Mr. Charles Osita Nnadi.
This is coming up in the wake of tussle for power as regards who takes up the mantle as the governor of the state despite the fact that Okorocha won at the polls.
In the petition titled, EPT/IM/GOV/2/2015, Nnadi alleged that the total number of votes cast in most polling units during the governorship polls in the state was more than the total number of registered voters, as well as the total number of eligible voters, who collected their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and the total number of accredited voters.
He pointed out some areas where such malpractice occurred among which were: Ideato North, Ideato South, Aboh Mbaise, Oru East, Orsu, Obowo, Mbaitoli, Ikeduru, Okigwe, Nkwerre, Nwangele and Njaba local government areas of the state.
He further maintained that the election was invalid as a result of corrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
According to the petitioner, the governorship election of April 11, 2015, and the supplementary election of April 25, 2015, were marred and vitiated by substantial non-compliance with statutory requirements, irregularities, corrupt practices, fraud, illegal voting and mutilation of election result sheets that substantially affected them, Vanguard reports.
The petitioner further stated that none of the candidates was entitled to be declared winner of the election, adding that the election should have been nullified.
In the petition, Nnadi also pointed out that the election was marred by cases of ballot box snatching, illegal voting and snatching of election result sheets by thugs/agents of the first and second respondents, Governor Rochas Okorocha and APC, respectively.
He also stated that Okorocha and his agents bought and sold PVCs with which they ‘induced and procured illegal and unlawful votes’that produced the governor as the winner.
