From Marcel Duru Owerri
The allegation against INEC over a plan to rig the 2027 General Election in Imo State has now become a war of petitions- with opposition parties on one side, and pro-government youth groups on the other, both accusing INEC officials of planning to rig 2027 election in favour of APC.Coalition of Major Opposition Political Parties in Imo State who signed the petition were Chief MacDonald Amadi – ADC Barr. Chuks Agbugba – LP Amb. Steve Nnadi – APP, Comrade Lancelot Obiaku – PDP, Hon. Benneth Obiakor – YPP,Comrade Uchechukwu Ayozie- NDC,And other opposition Publicity Secretaries addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, with copies to EFCC, ICPC, Police, DSS. The coalition alleged All 27 Electoral Officers redeployed at once. INEC allegedly simultaneously redeployed, replaced all 27 Electoral Officers (EOs)- one for each of the 27 LGAs in Imo State. They contended that EOs are the most powerful INEC officers at LGA level, Control INEC office in the LGA, Supervise Ward Collation Officers, Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) and Presiding Officers (POs) posted to electoral wards and polling units,Receive and distribute BVAS machines, result sheets (EC8A) and sensitive materials supervise collation at LGA level. The coalition says: We accept INEC can redeploy staff, but why ALL 27 at once, months to 2027? Why were the new officers posted to selected LGAs / selected electoral wards considered strategic for 2027? They demand INEC to publish full posting list – who was moved from where to where, Date of approval, Criteria for selection of new EOs, why some LGAs got completely new teams while others did not. Alleged political interference in posting of staff in INEC IT Department, Imo- the department that configures BVAS, manages voter register and controls IReV upload.
Alleged $20,000 Bribe Per EO Coalition claims there are reports that $20,000 (about ₦29 million) was offered to *each of the 27 newly redeployed EOs* to secure their support for the ruling *APC*. The coalition itself stresses: We have NOT independently verified this. It must be investigated by EFCC/ICPC. It should NOT be treated as established fact.”Alleged plan to:NOT upload results from polling unit directly to IReV move result sheets to designated centres in selected wards/LGAs Upload later – after figures can be altered. This, they say, is how elections were rigged in Imo in 2023.Uncollected PVCs Missing. Where are the thousands of uncollected PVCs in Imo? Who has access? Could they be used with BVAS front-loading?. In the same vein Ohanaeze Youth Forum (OYF) and Pan-Igbo Youth Assembly (PIYA)Accused: INEC National Commissioner supervising Imo, Anambra and Ebonyi, Dr. Ken Nnamdi Ukeagu Allegation by OYF, signed by Secretary-General Comrade Agwu-Awah Malachy accused Dr Ukeagu of abandoned neutrality and become a strong ally of some parties and their candidates in Imo and Anambra. He has been leaking sensitive INEC documents to them, offering them electoral consultancy services.”However APC Imo has not responded to $20,000 allegation. Party sources privately call petition *”early crying wolf to discredit 2027.”*Meanwhile Presidential / National Assembly: January 16, 2027,Governorship / State Assembly, February 6, 2027Imo has 27 LGAs, with 305 electoral wards, and 4,758 polling units, controls by EO in LGA and the ward collation chain.
