Segun Atanda/
Four men, including an aide to Senator Hope Uzodinma, have been held by the police over allegedly stolen Imo State electoral materials for the controversial APC ward congress on May 5.
According to a statement from Police spokesman, ACP Jimoh Moshood, the suspects were arrested inside a hotel in Abuja, where they were allegedly in possession of the electoral materials.
Moshood told NewsmakersNG that the suspects were arrested for “criminal conspiracy, forgery, theft and unlawful possession of APC Wards and Local Government Electoral Materials meant for the aborted APC ward congress election of 5th May, 2018, in Imo State”.
He identified the suspects as 39-year-old Engr. Ikpamezie Innocent, “Principal Suspect from Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State (Special Adviser on Electoral matters to Senator Hope Uzodinma representing Orlu Senatorial District of Imo State), Lawrence Archibong, 34, from Akpabuyo LGA of Cross Rivers State; Kelechi Affonne, 27, from Isialagwa North LGA of Abia State, and Joseph Martins, 28, from Ivo LGA of Ebonyi State”.
Exhibits allegedly found on them included 68 APC Ward Congress result sheets, six APC LG result sheets, six LG APC ward officers and delegates list for the aborted ward congress elections, and 130 APC delegates nomination forms.
He stated, “At about 1400hrs of today being 12th May, 2018, operatives of the IGP Special Tactical Squad on a tip-off trailed and arrested the above mentioned suspects in SEREDIB HOTEL AT WUSE II, ABUJA while in the act, in hideout, in the hotel, manipulating and entering data into result sheets of the Imo State APC Ward Election Result Sheets. In their possession were recovered the above listed exhibits of Ward and Local Government Electoral Materials of Six (6) Local Governments in Imo State, namely; (i) Ikeduru (ii) Ahiazu Mbaise (iii) Ngor-Okpala (iv) Owerri West (v) Owerri Municipal (vi) Mbaitoli
“The Principal Suspect, Engr. Ikpamezie Innocent ‘39Yrs’ from Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State who admitted to be the Special Adviser on Electoral matters to Senator Hope Uzodimma representing Orlu Senatorial District of Imo State currently in the Senate confessed that all the electoral materials were given to them by Dr. Iyke Njoku, Zonal coordinator, Owerri Municipality to Senator Hope Uzodimma representing Orlu Senatorial District of Imo State in the Senate.
“All the suspects admitted and confessed to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crime. Investigation is in progress and effort is being intensified to arrest Dr. Iyke Njoku and other suspects still at large. All suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigation.”
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