Democracy on Trial in Imo – Iwuanyanwu

A member of the Board Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Wednesday expressed concern over the future of democracy in Imo State under Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Iwuanyanwu, who briefed the media in his office said his fear was born out of the antecedents of a new crop of politicians with inordinate ambition for power. According to him, they could do anything to get to positions of power.
The PDP chieftain noted that a lot of desperation and criminality was brought into the last governorship election in the state. According to him, “My voice was cloned last week by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Imo State Government and used to mislead Imo people telling them to vote APC. My voice was played every five minutes on the government-owned Orient FM soliciting votes for APC.
“When I called Orient FM, they said it was sent to them from the Imo Government House. Former Governor Achike Udenwa’s voice was also cloned; I have never seen this level of fraud, dishonour and impunity in my political life.”
He expressed regret that the country’s democracy would have made no progress if after more than half a century of Nigeria’s independence, ‘the governorship charade in the state on April 11 is upheld.’
“In this same state, an INEC official made the statement before cameras that she was kidnapped and forced to write election results at gunpoint and nothing has been said or done about this.”
Iwuanyanwu lamented that utterances credited to Governor Okorocha were grossly uncharitable.
“I learnt over 1,000 thugs had been trained and armed. I was also warned to steer clear of the polls or risk assassination. With the arrests recorded by security agents during the election, we confirmed the information that police and army uniforms were freely issued and government vehicles repainted to bear police colours.