From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Imo Labour party ( LP) on Tuesday dissociated itself from the inspection of electoral materials used in the conduct of the 11 November 2023 Imo state governorship elections over disagreement with INEC over modalities to be adopted for the inspection.
The materials were displayed in obedience to a Court order obtained by the LP, for the inspection of Certified True Copies of documents and other materials used for the November 11 governorship election in Imo.
Applications for inspection of the materials were submitted to the INEC by the LP, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
However, newsmen, Chairman of the LP in Imo, Mr Callistus Ihejiagwa, faulted the process of inspection and said that the parties were yet to agree on modalities for the inspection.
He expressed disappointment that although the LP had gotten a Court order mandating INEC to make the materials available for inspection, the party could not proceed with the process as there were no agreed rules and modalities.
He distanced the party from “the flawed process”, and berated INEC for “falling below expectations “, as according to him, there was no agreed formula for the inspection.
“ We’re here at the behest of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Owerri which granted us an Order of Court to inspect the materials used for the November 11 governorship election.
“ INEC failed to establish modalities for the inspection as agreed and we cannot afford to proceed with the process.
“ At the moment, INEC has not told us which materials they have made available for inspection. As far as we are concerned, there’s no inspection going on here today”, he said.
Speaking, the PDP’s attorney, Mr Gozie Nwachukwu, described the environment and process as “ disorganised, devoid of meaningful logic and not fit to serve its intended purpose “.
He called on INEC to reorganise itself with a view to carrying out the process in a more decent fashion so that all stakeholders can go home satisfied.
The inspection venue was however overtaken by supporters of the All Progressives Congress, periodically chanting solidarity songs.
INEC’S Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Emmanuella Ben-Opara had earlier confirmed however, that the materials requested for inspection were all ready and waiting to be inspected.