Senator Athan Achonu, the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 Imo State governorship election, has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) operates as an extension of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Achonu’s comments came during a press briefing in Owerri on Wednesday, in response to the Supreme Court’s recent ruling which upheld Governor Hope Uzodinma as the winner of the governorship race.

The court’s decision confirmed Uzodinma’s victory following a legal journey through the tribunal, the Appeal Court, and the Supreme Court.

“It has become painfully evident that the Independent National Electoral Commission has become another arm of the ruling party, the APC, turning our entire democratic institution into a mere circus,” Achonu stated.

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He criticized the judiciary’s handling of election disputes, remarking, “The audacity of this practice, where the judiciary’s pronouncements outweigh the people’s votes, should alarm every patriotic Nigerian.”

Achonu continued, “It is worthy of mention that a dangerous and unhealthy political culture has been introduced by the ruling party, the APC. They manipulate election results and, in a brazen display of arrogance, tell the opposition to go to court. It is clear now that in Nigeria, it is no longer the people who decide who wins an election; it is the judiciary. Unfortunately, the judiciary is not able to ensure INEC does the right thing in election petition matters such as this.”

In response, INEC’s spokesperson in Imo State, MaryAnn Godslight, countered, “INEC is as independent as stipulated by the constitution of Nigeria. You cannot judge the commission by one man’s personal opinion.”

Cajethan Duke, the Imo State Publicity Secretary of the APC, also dismissed Achonu’s allegations as “laughable, ridiculous, and delusional,” emphasizing that the claim was baseless and undermines the credibility of an institution recognized for its role in advancing democracy in Nigeria.

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