By Ivlas Idama
The controversies surrounding the 2024 Imo State Local Government Area election has taken a dramatic turn following a letter of protest dated September 30th, 2024, by R.I. James and Associates, lawyers to Dr. Collins Osuagwu, African Democratic Congress chairmanship candidate in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State reporting the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission, ISIEC to President Bola Tinubu .
It would be recalled that Osuagwu, a former governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP before he joined ADC, filed a law suit alleging various malpractices including flagrant abuse of electoral guidelines by ISIEC.
Osuagwu who is the Chief Executive Officer of Zeus Marina Oil and Gas Limited, vowed to exhaust all legal means aimed at annulling the exercise he described as a selection aided by ISIEC in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
In an exclusive chat with National Newsblast Newspaper, Osuagwu revealed that he personally witnessed election rigging at Isiala Mbano LGA headquarers where agents of opposition parties were shut out of the venue where top appointed of the Imo State Government participated in malpractices.
Osuagwu said he reported the matter to Tinubu because if not checked, such flagrant abuse of the electoral process could spell doom for Nigeria.
The hearing at the election tribunal has been adjourned to June 4th, 2025.