The Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 Imo State governorship election, Senator Athan Achonu, has expressed concerns about the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Achonu made the comments while reacting to the Supreme Court’s judgment on the Imo governorship election, which affirmed Governor Hope Uzodinma as the winner.
Achonu stated, “It has become painfully evident that INEC has become another arm of the ruling party, the APC, turning our entire democratic institution into a mere circus.”
He also criticized the judiciary’s role in election matters, saying, “The audacity of this practice, where the judiciary’s pronouncements outweigh the people’s votes, should alarm every patriotic Nigerian.”
INEC’s spokesperson in Imo State, MaryAnn Gods light, responded to Achonu’s allegations, saying, “INEC is as independent as stipulated by the constitution of Nigeria. You cannot judge the commission by one man’s personal opinion.”
The Imo State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Cajethan Duke, also dismissed Achonu’s claims, saying, “This is laughable, ridiculous, and delusional. The allegation against an institution that has continued to earn the confidence of international communities in their efforts to deepen democracy in Nigeria is baseless.”
