Off-season polls: Uzodinma wins polling unit inside government house Owerri

Governor Hope Uzodinma has won the Imo State governorship election at the Government House polling unit in Owerri.

Speaking shortly after he cast his vote on Saturday at his polling unit (032), Omuma Community in Oru East Local Government Area of the state, Uzodinma commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The governor said there are no security breaches in the ongoing governorship election in the state, allaying fears of possible violence.

He said, “The conduct has been very peaceful. I have not seen anything that could suggest a threat to peace. So far it has been successful,” he said.

“I have not heard that there has been a knockout anywhere, not to talk about bullets. The environment is good enough,” he added.

Uzodimma said he was surprised by the level of security in Imo State, given the number of security operatives deployed ahead of the poll.

“I am not surprised. I want to also commend security agencies for the kind of deployment they have done and contrary to the ugly expectation that the environment will not be there for voting to take place, you can see that INEC has risen to the occasion and everything is moving on fine,” he said.

He claimed that voter turnout at the unit was better compared to the general elections in February.

“It is very impressive, and it is our hope that more people will come out to vote. So my happiness is that we have the environment to conduct this election, and people have come out to vote.

“The security agencies are properly deployed, the entire space is manned and occupied, and people are responding positively and behaving themselves,” Uzodinma stated.

The governor again accused opposition politicians of sponsoring insecurity to blackmail his administration.

“So I think that this is an evidence for the country to know that the patriotic citizens of Imo State are desirous of having Imo State blossom but those who are in politics sponsoring and financing mischief, banditry and other forms of atrocities should repent,” he said.

Asked his expectations from the election, Uzodinma said, “The way it is, only God knows the outcome. I have voted and more people are still voting. At the end of the day, whatever God approves will be announced by INEC.”

Uzodimma, Samuel Anyanwu of the PDP, Athan Achonu of the Labour Party and 15 others are candidates in the election.