As residents of Imo State file out for today’s election, there are fears that insecurity and loss of confidence in the electoral process might force eligible voters not to participate in the exercise.

.ng reports that Imo has been facing activities of unknown gunmen and other non-state actors for over three years, a situation believed to be a major threat to today’s election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it registered 2,419,922 persons for the election, out of which 2,318,919 have collected their PVCs.

Seventeen candidates are seeking to unseat the incumbent Governor, Hope Uzodinma of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, who is seeking a second term.

However, only two are viewed as real threats to his reelection.

Political analysts and development experts in the state have predicted how the incumbent governor and two other frontline candidates will share 2.3 million votes.

Prof Uche Amadi, a university lecturer, told DaiLY POST that the chances of voter apathy are high owing to two major factors: insecurity and a lack of trust in INEC.

He explained that there will certainly be voter apathy for two reasons: “the people may not want to risk their lives coming out to exercise their franchise, especially in crisis-ridden areas of Orsu, Orlu, Oru-east, Okigwe, Ehime-Mbano, etc., where several cases of killings, kidnappings, arson, and other vices have been recorded.”

He added that the people believe that the electoral umpire is compromised and will eventually do the bidding of the ruling party by declaring the APC winner of the election.

However, of the 17 gubernatorial candidates struggling for Imo State’s soul, the pendulum, according to the experts, is swinging towards Uzodinma, Senator Athan Achonu of Labour Party (LP) and Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Senator Achonu, the LP Governorship Candidate is considered by Imo residents as a strong contender in the race and may not only be running on Obi’s wave but also his commitment to common good.

Achonu is referred to as the “One Arm General.”

His ‘aku ruoulo’ (invest home) plan has resulted in many industrial farms, making him the most likely of the competitors as the largest investor in Imo State.

Achonu supports the active involvement of local government, citing it as the root cause of instability.

Based on the overwhelming support Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate, received in the state, Achonu contended that Imo belongs to the Labour Party.

Obi’s recent visit alongside the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, to Kanu Nwankwo Sports’ Complex in Owerri was a boost to Achonu’s campaign.

Meanwhile, PDP’s Senator Samuel Anyanwu, also known as Samdaddy, is another strong contender aiming to clinch the Imo seat for his party for the third time.

Senator Anyanwu expressed confidence in defeating Governor Uzodinma.

Having served as a senator, member of the House of Representatives, chairman of a local government, and party official, he is perhaps the most seasoned candidate.

His party, PDP, is probably his worst weakness, as well as his greatest strength. A lot of people are still angry with him for edging out Chief Emeka Ihedioha from the contest, and they are not making an effort to assist him in his pursuits.

The majority of the party chieftains in his senatorial district, Owerri zone, are currently working for Governor Uzodinma.

A political analyst based in Owerri, Barr Stanley Emana is of the view that the attack on the national president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Owerri is not good for the governor.

In the next few hours, it will be seen how any of the candidates will navigate through the odds against them.

BluntCrazeMan:
Dear Nairalanders.

Let us give the IREV one more trial.
Let's do this again one more time.

https://inecelectionresults.ng/elections/types/5f129a04df41d910dcdc1d51?type=gov

I wasn't really expecting INEC to deploy the IREV again, after their own lawyers went to the court to testify that the IREV is irrelevant.

Nevertheless, even though we don't trust the IREV and the INEC themselves any longer.,, let's still hold them by their words again...
But this time, don't expect them to keep their words.

VOTERS.!!
PLEASE FOLLOW YOUR VOTES FROM THE POLLING-UNITS TO THE WARDS, TO THE LGAS, AND TO THE FINAL STATE COLLATION CENTERS..

IF THEY PREVENT YOU FROM GOING INSIDE, NO PROBLEMS..
STAY CLOSE ENOUGH IN YOUR LARGE NUMBERS, AND KEEP THE ACCREDITED AGENTS INSIDE, THEN, KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN AT ALL TIMES.

ONCE YOU SEE ANY MANIPULATIONS GOING ON,, USE YOUR LIVE VIDEOS ON THEM IMMEDIATELY..
AND LEAVE THE REST.

PARTY AGENTS.!!!
PLEASE STOP STAGING WALK-OUTS, AND STOP LEAVING THE COLLATION CENTERS..
(IT DIRECTLY EQUATES TO THE IPOB’S CRAZY STRATEGY OF BOYCOTTING ELECTIONS..)

SO STOP IT..!!
IT'S BETTER FOR YOU TO STAY THERE AND VIDEO EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING THERE FOR SAKE OF EVIDENCE..

AND EVEN, YOU HAVE TO SIGN ALL THOSE SO-CALLED MANIPULATED RESULTS, AND WRITE “OBJECTION” NEAR YOUR NAME, AFTER SIGNING YOUR PORTION..



We must get it right only if we try to do the actual right things,, and not by trying to out-do them or out-smart them in their game of foolery and evil.



As for the ONLINE MONITORING COMMUNITY,, we only have the IREV...,, at-least for now.

Akwamkpuruamu:
Inec is the game decider and not the voters. Until INEC stays impartial, voters apathy will continue to increase

Loveth160:


https://.ng/2023/11/11/imo-tension-as-uzodinma-achonu-anyanwu-scramble-for-2-3-million-votes/

BigIyanga:
Story… less than 500k people are going to vote smh

OGHENAOGIE:
it's u Igbos that are apathetic cos obi the loser who never stood any chance lost and came Third

Akwamkpuruamu:


Make your elections free and fair, the loser will happily lose and keep quiet but when you change the rules of the game in the middle of the match, how do you expect the one who lost to accept it?

Is INEC a fair referee?

Senator Achonu, the LP Governorship Candidate is
considered by Imo residents as a strong contender
in the race and may not only be running on Obi’s
wave but also his commitment to common good.
Achonu is referred to as the “One Arm General.”
His ‘aku ruoulo’ (invest home) plan has resulted in
many industrial farms, making him the most likely
of the competitors as the largest investor in Imo
State.