Polycarp Sola-Abakaliki


The chairman of the IKwo local government area of Ebonyi State, Mr. Sunday Nwankwo has reportedly ordered journalists monitoring the rerun elections of the Ikwo North State Constituency to leave Ndogadoshi 02 polling unit, Eche-Alike Ward 017.

Eye witness reports gathered that the incident happened a few minutes after the incumbent member, representing Ikwo North State Constituency l, Engr Humphrey Nwurukwu raised allegations that the council chairman had threatened to deal with voters of other political parties aside from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

"The election is not going well, that's why I'm here, the information I got this morning that made me be here is that they have announced that if you are not voting for APC you should go out.

"The chairman of the local government is heading them, that's why I said let me be here to know whether it is true, they've sent our people out, they carry a seat close to the ballot box to monitor people's vote," he said.

However, the council chairman denied the allegations and maintained that the exercise was going on well without security threats to voters.

"It's a civic responsibility and people must exercise it, I cannot scare people away from voting, election is about choice, people are free to make their choice". he said.

The lawmaker, who is contesting on the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) was said to have requested journalists to be present at the polling unit to observe his assertions.

Meanwhile, that did not go well the council chairman who immediately ordered them out of the polling unit and said he would not be responsible for their security.

Why?
They do not want the journalists to expose thier actrocities I guess. What has happened to the freedom of the press as enshrined in the Principles of Democracy?
Why intimidating the Press?

You want to rig, u have a sinister agenda to Truncate the people's mandate.