by Chris Nomjov
Imo state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Gabriel Ada, has distanced himself and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), from electoral officials, who were recently arrested in the state.
It would be recalled that 15 officials were allegedly arrested by security operatives for altering the result sheets of the National Assembly and governorship elections, to suit the figures that were dubiously allotted to political parties.
Mr Ada, who confirmed the arrest in an interview with Channels Television in Owerri the Imo State capital, said the arrested staff acted on their own volition and not under the directive of the commission.
He noted that any staff of the commission caught trying to subvert electoral process would take full responsibility for his actions.
The REC also said the recent arrest of the officials from the operations and legal department is a clear indication that the commission does not tolerate or cover up any fraudulent practice by any of its staff.
He further noted ahead of Saturday’s supplementary elections, that the commission is more prepared to conduct free, fair and credible elections in the state.
Mr. Ada maintained that the card reader machine would be deployed for the exercise, effectively and warned that any electoral official, who flaunts the card reader use, would be sanctioned.
He also disclosed that there would be total restriction of movement in the entire state, even though the election is in few areas across the state.
Meanwhile, the arrest of suspected electoral fraudsters has continued to pitch rival political parties in the state, against each other, as they have continued to trade words over the incident accusing each other of colluding with INEC to alter election figures.
It is less than 48 hours to the Imo re-run and all eyes are on the INEC and security operatives to ensure that the elections in Imo are free, fair and credible.
