Imo PDP Campaign DG Alleges That Hope Uzodimma’s Victory Is Illegitimate

The political landscape in Imo State has recently been marred by allegations of illegitimacy surrounding the victory of Governor Hope Uzodimma. The Director-General of the Imo State PDP Campaign, in a bold statement, has contested the legitimacy of Uzodimma’s victory, insisting that the PDP candidate, Senator Anyanwu, secured the majority of legitimate votes.

Governor Hope Uzodimma’s victory has come under intense scrutiny, with the Director-General of the Imo State PDP Campaign, who also serves as a lawmaker, alleging that the triumph is illegitimate. According to the PDP campaign team, Senator Anyanwu, their candidate, obtained the majority of legitimate votes, contradicting the officially declared results. This assertion challenges the integrity of the electoral process and raises questions about the credibility of Uzodimma’s mandate.

In a bid to address the perceived discrepancies, the Imo PDP Campaign DG has called upon the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a thorough review of the election results. The lawmaker contends that such a review is not just a political demand but a legal requirement to ensure that the electoral process remains transparent, fair, and in adherence to the rule of law. The plea underscores the importance of upholding the democratic principles upon which Nigeria’s electoral system is built.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, the spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Ugochinyere, has alleged ongoing efforts to manipulate the electoral process. Specifically, he claims that there are plans to upload fake accreditation numbers on the Biometric Verification and Authentication System (BVAS) to align with the officially declared results. Such allegations, if proven true, could have far-reaching consequences for the credibility of the electoral process and the perceived legitimacy of the election outcome.

The DG alleged that more than 90% of the votes allocated to Hope Uzodimma were not votes that passed through the accreditation process, as the turnout in the election was very low and this could be because of the insecurity in Imo State
The lawmaker, who insisted that the PDP candidate scored the majority of the legitimate votes, urged INEC to review the results announced as required by law and declare Anyanwu the winner.

Ugochinyere who doubles as the spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties alleged that there are ongoing moves to commence the upload of fake accreditation numbers on the BVAS to tally with the results declared.

He stated, “The outcome of the election is illegitimate, and the person declared the winner of the election, Senator Hope Uzodimma, was not duly elected by the Imo voters because the majority of the votes ascribed to him were invalid, void, and unlawful votes. Hence, we declare him a self-imposed governor of Imo State.

“We have already exposed evidence of massive overvoting from the results of BVAS machine accreditation, which showed very low turnout and results showing high turnout. Moves are on currently in the IT Department of INEC to illegally upload accreditation figures into the BVAS machine to tally with fraud that was committed on Saturday.

“More than 90% of the votes allocated to Hope Uzodimma were not votes that passed through the accreditation process as the turnout in the election was very low and this could be because of the insecurity in Imo State.

“Thugs backed by security agencies were maiming, shooting and destroying private property in a bid to cow the people to allow them to announce already written figures without accreditation or credible election.

“Based on credible intelligence that the results from Okigwe, Oru East the governor home, Oru West, Onuimo, Orsu, Oguta, Ohaji, Nwangele, Orlu, Ideato South, Ideato North, Obowo, are the biggest electoral jokes that will ever come out of Africa. Over 90 per cent of the results or votes did not happen as there was no accreditation, those with less than 5 per cent accreditation ended up having 80 per cent voter turnout.”

The allegations of illegitimacy surrounding Governor Hope Uzodimma’s victory in Imo State are significant and warrant careful consideration. The call for an INEC review, coupled with claims of manipulation, highlights the complexities and challenges inherent in the electoral process. As the situation unfolds, it is essential for all stakeholders, including political parties, electoral bodies, the media, and civil society, to play their respective roles in ensuring that the democratic principles are upheld, and the citizens’ trust in the electoral system is preserved. Only through a commitment to transparency, fairness, and adherence to the rule of law can the electoral process truly serve as a robust pillar of Nigeria’s democracy.