Why PDP Will Boycott Imo Council Polls In January 2017 – Chairman

charles-ezekwem-imo-pdpThe Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Imo State has disclosed its resolve to boycott the proposed council elections by the All Progressives Congress, APC-led state government come January 2017.

The Imo PDP Chairman, Barr. Charles Ezekwem made the party’s position known at a press briefing in Owerri, the state capital on Wednesday.

It would be recalled that the state government had last week announced that local government elections would be held across the 27 local government areas of the state next January.

According to him, the planned election in the state was another ploy by the Rochas Okorocha-led administration to “fleece politicians in the state”.

Ezekwem alleged that in the last five years, the governor had used elections as a ploy to raise revenue for the state.

He said: “It is now a mere revenue drive of  Governor Okorocha because politicians who are intending to contest the local government elections had bought the form more than three times since he became governor; and in the end, no election took place and the monies paid were never refunded to those who had purchased the forms”.

He added that the PDP would not participate in the election, until there was evidence of serious commitment from the state government, including assurances that the process would be free and fair.

Ezekwem added that the 150 days’ notice before the date of an election must also be respected.