The Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State have faulted the process of inspection of materials used for election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state.
The parties also distanced themselves from the inspection of the INEC materials.
LP, in its reaction, following INEC’s display the materials for inspection in Owerri, on Tuesday.
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 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
Chairman of the LP in Imo, Mr Callistus Ihejiagwa, while addressing newsmen at the INEC office on Tuesday, faulted the process of inspection and said that the parties were yet to agree on modalities for the inspection.
He expressed disappointment that despite the fact that LP had gotten a Court order mandating INEC to make the materials available for inspection, they could not proceed with the process because of failure to agree on rules and modalities.
The chairman distanced the party from “the flawed process”, and berated INEC for “falling below expectations “, adding that there was no agreed formula for the inspection.
He said: “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*.
According to him, INEC failed to establish modalities for the inspection as agreed, adding that they cannot afford to proceed with the process.
The LP chairman said that at the moment, INEC has not told them which materials they have made available for inspection.
He said: “As far as we are concerned, there’s no inspection going on here today.”
Also in his speech, 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.
He said: “the inspection venue was however overtaken by supporters of the All Progressives Congress, periodically chanting solidarity songs”.
Speaking earlier, the INEC’s Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Emmanuella Ben-Opara, had confirmed that the materials requested for inspection were all ready and waiting to be inspected.
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