Tension Escalates in Imo State Ahead of Gubernatorial Election

• Tension is rising in Imo State’s gubernatorial election with concerns about recent incidents favoring the ruling party, including an alleged attack on the Labour Party candidate
• Reports of hotel room reservations for the ruling party and high signage fees have raised concerns about a level playing field

As the gubernatorial election in Imo State approaches, tension is rising, with reported attacks on the opposition and other developments that seem to favor the ruling party. Incumbent Governor Hope Uzodinma of the APC faces a strong challenge from Senator Athan Achonu of the Labour Party and Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the PDP, among others.

Concerns about securing the state are heightened due to previous security challenges, and recent incidents have raised suspicions of efforts to tilt the electoral playing field:

1. Attack on Labour Party Candidate: Senator Athan Achonu alleged that he was accosted by the police and prevented from attending a church program. In a viral video, he described the encounter where police fired shots in the air, causing distress to those in his convoy. He questioned why he was prevented from attending church and criticized the disruption.
2. Hotel Room Reservations: A video showed former students of the Federal Government Girls College, Owerri, discovering that their hotel reservations had been canceled. This fueled reports that the state government had directed hotels in Owerri to reserve all rooms for the ruling party, leaving many stranded and without accommodation.
3. High Signage Fees: Some election observers and candidates, including Maj. Gen Lincoln Ogunewe (rtd) of the Action Alliance, criticized the high signage fees and restrictions on branding vehicles and mounting billboards in the state. They argued that this limited opposition visibility in the state.

The Imo State government and the ruling party have denied the allegations and consider them as propaganda by the opposition. The government asserted that security forces made decisions based on public safety and denied that all hotel rooms had been reserved for the ruling party. They also refuted claims of increased insecurity in the state.

With the election fast approaching, concerns over a level playing field and security are critical issues in Imo State.