In a stunning electoral sweep, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has emerged victorious in all 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, securing a landslide win in the ongoing governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) made the announcement at the state collation centre in Owerri, the state capital, where the final results from the LGAs were presented.
The final collation of results took place on Sunday morning, with Prof. Abayomi Fasina, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, serving as the state Returning Officer.
To compute the final result and declare the winner, a brief one-hour break was called.
However, the announcement of Uzodimma’s victory was not without controversy, as the state agent of the Labour Party, Callistus Ihejiagwa, faced physical altercations and ejection from the collation centre.
This occurred after he objected to the results presented by the LGA returning officers. In a surprising move, the state agent for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kissinger Ikeokwu, decided to leave the collation centre.
Samuel Anyanwu, the PDP candidate, had previously called for a complete annulment of the election on Saturday night, expressing dissatisfaction with the unfolding results.
The dramatic events surrounding the collation process added an unexpected twist to the political landscape in Imo State.
Source: PUNCH