Senator Hope Uzodinma of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been arrested alongside his brother and sister for thumb-printing ballot papers during the gubernatorial election rerun in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State.
A top police source involved in providing security in the area told PREMIUM TIMES that soon after his release, Mr. Uzodinma’s supporters in the area set bonfires on the road to prevent the police from taking his relations away.
The police had to call for reinforcement from the army and officials of the secret police, the State Security Service before the bonfires and hoodlums were cleared and his relations carted away to be detained in the state capital, Owerri.
Meanwhile, the rerun election in the local government was almost marred by pockets of violence and irregularities.
At Oru East Local Government Area, which has majority of the Polling Units where rerun election were held, some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were caught thumb-printing ballot papers in favour of one of the political parties.
Also arrested were fake INEC officials who posed as Returning Officers at the collation center.
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