Tension eases in Imo

After 10 days of political maneuvering, the Imo State governorship poll has been won by the flag bearer of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in this year’s governorship election, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

This has indeed eased off the tension that has built up in the state since some of the elections in some councils were suspended by INEC on Wednesday April 27, 2011.

Okorocha, who polled 336,859 votes beat his closest rival and governor of the state, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, who scored 290,496 votes. Ohakim is the candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP).

Announcing the result, which was concluded on Friday May 6, 2011, the Returning Officer of the Election and Vice chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, near Umuahia, Professor Hilary Edeoga, said, Okorocha satisfied the provisions of the Electoral Act by scoring the highest number of valid votes and therefore winner of the election.

It will be recalled that following the notice of some irregularities during the April 26, 2011 governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cancelled the result of four councils namely: Oguta, Ohaji/Egbema and Mbaitolu.

The commission directed that Supplementary Election should be held in the three councils and that of Ngor Okpala and Orji ward in Owerri North where election did not take place on April 26, 2011. But on Friday following the disagreement in Oguta council over the late arrival of election materials, the council poll was cancelled by INEC.