The Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) has said that it is in possession of information from credible sources of alleged plans by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorochas to deploy intimidation and violence to once again disrupt the March 9, 2019 Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections in Imo State as he did during the February 23, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its National Coordinator, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma, NOPRIN recalled that Governor Okorocha, who was a candidate for the Imo West Senatorial election of February 23, 2019, was widely reported to have made use of thugs and compromised security agents to commit violent electoral offences during the elections.
It also disclosed that the Returning Officer of the election, Prof. Innocent Ibeabuchi had revealed at a press conference that he announced Governor Okorocha winner of the election under duress after the governor allegedly threatened to kill him if he failed to pronounce him winner within one hour adding that he further revealed that his wife and children were also held hostage and put under intense threat and stress, in order to force him to capitulate.
The group however hopped that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman and the Inspector General of Police would have by now ordered an investigation into this scandal”, it said.
It said,” NOPRIN has information that in his determination to ensure that his candidate for Imo State Governor wins by all means during the March 9 Governorship election, Governor Okorocha has perfected yet another nefarious plan to again use intimidation and violence. We are informed that he plans to use thugs dressed in Army uniform, who will operate in vehicles painted in Army colour.
“These fake army officers will operate along with members of Governor Okorocha’s so-called ‘Imo State Security Network’ to unleash terror in areas of the state where the Governor does not hope to get votes. Their grand diabolical design would be to terrorize and intimidate voters, disrupt elections and manipulate the votes in favour of his candidate.
“Considering that Governor Okorocha succeeded, albeit temporarily, in brazenly deploying violence, using thugs and compromised security agents to intimidate voters and INEC officials during the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections, the probability that he will repeat and even take this act of criminality to a higher scale during the Governorship election on March 9 is very high.
“However, it will be unfortunate if, after providing this information to INEC and security authorities, Governor Okorocha still goes ahead to have another free reign deploying violence and thugs to subvert the integrity and credibility of the March 9 Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections in Imo State”.
NOPRIN therefore called on the INEC Chairman and the security agencies particularly, the military and the police authorities to promptly investigate this alleged criminal plot by Governor Okorocha to impersonate the army and use its identity to perpetrate violent electoral crimes saying that INEC and security authorities should take proactive steps to ensure that Okorocha did not repeat on March 9, 2019 his brazen act of electoral violence and criminality as witnessed on February 23, 2019.
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