IMO ASSEMBLY BYE-ELECTION: VOTING ENDED, EXERCISE ADJUDGED PEACEFUL

 
REPORTER: CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

Voting has ended in most polling units in Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State while sorting and counting of votes are in progress to determine the winner of Saturday’s bye-election for Ngor-okpala constituency in the State House of Assembly.

The exercise, which has been adjudged peaceful so far by the people and some independent observers, started around 9am in most voting points.

Security agents were visible at most of the polling units visited in Imerienwe, Umuoye and Amaibo-Nguru communities.

At Umuoye Imerienwe ward five, booth 003, 007 and 010 some of the voters, including Dr. Pope Ekwe, Mr. Kamalu Ujunwa and Mrs. Rozanna Ogoma, expressed satisfaction with the conduct, noting that there was a significant improvement in the performance of the Bimodal verification and accreditation system (BIVAS).

At Upe Community Secondary School ward 005, a community leader, Mr. Sachel Udeh, expressed satisfaction with the conduct so far.

He noted that the relatively low turnout witnessed was because the election coincided with the market day of a community sharing border with Ngor-Okpala.

The bye-election followed a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission by the Speaker Imo State House of Assembly, Mr. kennedy Ibeh, declaring the seat vacant over alleged abscondment of the former lawmaker representing the area, Mr. Tochi Okereke, for more than one year.