The Peoples Democratic Party in Imo state has said it was constrained not to participate in Saturday’s local government election because of a Supreme Court judgment in the case between Imo State government and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), which restrained parties from taking any action pending the determination of the suit.
The party, in a statement signed by Publicity Secretary, Mr. Damian Opara, said it could also not participate because of what it perceived as partisanship of the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC).
The statement said, “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party Imo State chapter has been drawn to the purported announcement in some media houses by the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) stating that there will be local government council election on Saturday, 25th August, 2018.
“The Peoples Democratic Party Imo State Chapter having authoritatively reviewed the antecedence of the APC government under Governor Rochas Okorocha with regard to local government council elections since he assumed office as the governor of Imo State from 2011 till date, and the “ADVICE” given by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the matter between Imo State government and ALGON Imo State, that both parties should maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit at the Supreme Court, we hereby state categorically, that the PDP Imo State Chapter shall not participate in the purported local government council election coming up on Saturday, 25th August, 2018, as it is not only rfraudulent, but an affront to Imo electorates.
“Furthermore, the PDP Imo State Chapter, having also viewed the recent activities of ISIEC with regard to the said election, sees ISIEC as not independent a- nd as such, being an appendage of the APC government under Governor Rochas Okorocha cannot really conduct any election talk less of a credible, free and fair election in Imo State,” the statement added.
Meanwhile the Imo State government has restrained movement for today’s local government election.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said that movement will be restricted from 8 am to 5 pm in the evening.
The statement urged residents to take cognisance of the period and act according bearing in mind the importance the government attached to the local government election.
