IMO: INEC Voids PDP 3-Man Ward Ad hoc Delegates Congress List, Give Reasons

In an eight-page report on the congress signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo State, Prof. Francis Ezeonu listed the observation of the commission in each of the 27 local government areas in the state noted that "Given the above, the PDP Imo State Congress will not be said to have substantially complied with the relevant laws and guidelines guiding the conduct of ward congress for the election of delegates.ÔÇØ

INEC rejected it on the basis that the process adopted by the party violated the provisions of the Electoral Act even as some party officials in some of the local government areas claimed to have done consensus or affirmation or harmonization.

The report stated "It is pertinent to state that consensus/affirmation is one of the methods approved for the selection of candidates or delegates.

"However, even when parties have agreed to adopt a consensus method, proper Congresses should be held to affirm the chosen candidates or delegates in a free, fair and credible process. This was observed in the breach in this instance.ÔÇØ

The report also faulted the process as there were no original result sheets brought to congress venues and also corroborated that results sheets for Ideato North and Ideato South were missing and were not seen by any person just as they were not among the 25 result sheets deposited with the State Command of the SSS by the PDP.

"In almost all the instances the monitors claimed that no original result was brought to the venues. The absence of materials including the sensitive ones (result sheets) as reported by all the electoral officers in all the ward venues where the congress was to hold cast a lot of doubts on the exerciseÔÇØ the report concluded.