Imo Youth Election; Candidate calls for cancellation

Austin Okoro

The Chairmanship candidate of the 21st December 2024 Umuoronjo youth’s election,  Comrade Kelechi Benjamin Oparaugo has called for its cancellation.

He contested with two other candidates, Mr Oparaugo Alex and Mr Sunday Anyanwu.

He alleged that there were huge irregularities in the conduct of the election which held at Umuoronjo town hall, Tetlow road Owerri.

Mr Oparaugo while speaking to Journalists  said that the Electoral Committee Chairman Mr Osita Agbugba made a mistake in compiling the voters registration list.

He stated that in  Umuekemgboku Umueri village, the last person that registered was number 34,, but the electoral committee pasted 41, padding about 7 voters.

“When I made my complaint, the electoral Committee chairman did not listen to me but went ahead to conduct the election.

“At some point, I was called to cast my vote and after voting, I saw that in the ballot paper meant for Chairmanship contestants, one of the candidates’s picture was missing,.

“Mr Oparaugo Alex Omeni’s  picture was missing on the ballot paper.  The picture of the Public Relation Officer’s  aspirant by name Hyginus Anyagwa was in his column.

” So, I immediately agitated that the election be cancelled as it was not an emergency election.

“We started preparation in February 2024 but postponed because my co-contestant, was disqualified for lack of academic result”, Oparaugo noted.

Oparaugo narrating his ordeals further stated that he was compelled to purchase another form which he did.  The first form was #120,000.00 and the second was #40,000.00 .

” This second form gave room for another Chairmanship contestant , Mr Kingsley Sunday Anyanwu to join the race.

” I told them the election should be stopped since those mistakes were deliberately done to undo me by the electoral committee.

“The more I complained, the more the election went on, to a point myself and my numerous supporters came in and stopped the election”, Kelechi Oparaugo stated

He said that he learnt the electoral committee chairman, Osita Agbugba went ahead in an unknown place to declare results without due process.

With the above reasons, Comrade Oparaugo  calls on the authorities concerned in the supervision of Umuoronjo Youth elections to cancel and conduct a rerun election that will be free and fair.

Mr Iheanyichukwu Chiekezie, an election observer  said the way it was conducted was not fair, that was why Mr Kelechi Oparaugo was calling for its cancellation so that the right thing will be done.

“All we need is a free and fair election. There were a lot of irregularities such as missing picture and over voting, where the total number of votes cast were higher than the registered voters”, Chiekezie stated.

Eastern Lead Express newspaper correspondent who observed the election gathered that there was over voting  and missing picture.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook