The Imo State chapter of the Labour Party on Monday protested against the alleged delay by the Independent National Electoral Commission in releasing the certified true copies of the November 11 governorship poll.

The state party Chairman, Mr Callistus Ihejiagwa, led the protest by party supporters to the INEC office on Port Harcourt Road, Owerri.

Mr Ihejiagwa said that the party had long applied for the CTCs, noting that INEC had yet to release the documents, nine days after the poll.

He, therefore, urged the National Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and INEC Federal Commissioner for the South-East, Mr Ken Ukaogu, to prevail on the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Sylvia Agu, “to release the documents as requested.”

He stated, “As collation of results was about to begin at the state collation centre in Owerri, I petitioned INEC, concerning the manner of accreditation at the polling units as reported by our agents across the state.

“My petition, however, fell on deaf ears as the Returning Officer, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, said it was not in his jurisdiction to hear the petition and asked us to go to court.

“Nine days on, it beats our imagination that INEC, which collated and announced results just 12 hours after the election, has yet to release the documents – the CTCs of election documents – we need to pursue litigation.’’

Responding, INEC’s Head, Voter Education and Publicity in Imo State, Emmanuella Ben-Opara, said the documents were being assembled and would be released to the party in due course.

“We received the request for CTCs, acknowledged it and the application is being attended to as the materials are currently being assembled. When that is done and on payment of the cost, we will release the documents. Please remain civil,’’ Mrs Ben-Opara said.

(NAN)