Engr. Ikpamezie Innocent, the Special Adviser on Electoral matters to Senator Hope Uzodimma, representing Orlu Senatorial District of Imo State, has been arrested alongside three others over allegations of criminal conspiracy, theft, forgery of materials meant for the congresses of the All Progressives congress in Imo State.
The suspects were paraded on Saturday at the Force Headquarters in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police Jimoh Moshood.
Others arrested and paraded alongside Innocent, 39, were 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 recovered from them were 68 APC Ward Congress result sheets; Six APC LG result Sheet; Six LG APC Ward Officers and delegates list for the aborted May 5, 2018 APC Ward congress; and 130 APC delegates nomination forms.
Moshood said: “The Nigeria Police Force is determined to ensure violence free and credible elections across the Country in the forth coming 2019 General Election. The Force has therefore, put in adequate security arrangement to guarantee free and fair elections from primary elections of all political parties to period of nomination and campaigns and the election proper throughout the Thirty Six States and the FCT.
“The Inspector General of Police has directed all Commissioners of Police and their supervising Assistant Inspector General of Police to ensure adequate security and should not hesitate to deal decisively with any individual or group whose conduct or action might resort to disruption of the Electoral process anywhere in the country regardless of status or position in the society. They are to implement security strategies and measures to forestall any action that may mar or truncate the electoral process before, during and after the 2019 General Elections in the Country.
“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 all be arraigned in court on completion of investigation.”
