By Pascal Ibe

Claim

A Facebook user, Kissinger Ikeokwu, claimed that the Police, ISEC, Commissioner For Information and Civil Defence didn’t issue press statements a day before the Imo LG elections.

Verdict Summary

According to the Facebook post, claim 1,2 and 4 are FALSE. Credible news reports confirmed that these security agencies and the electoral body in Imo issued press statements ahead of the LG elections in Imo State.

While claim 3 is correct.

Full Text

Imo LG elections held on 21 September 2024, have come and gone. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won the elections for all 305 Councillorship and 27 Chairmanship positions in the state’s 27 Local Government Areas.

The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) declared the results of the elections at its Collation Centre, located at its headquarters in Owerri, on Sunday.

Report said that although peaceful, the elections were grossly marred by voter apathy, and voting did not occur in almost all the local government areas.

However, a Facebook user, Kissinger Ikeokwu, on Friday, claimed that the Imo Police Command, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Imo State, and the Imo State Electoral Commission (ISEC) didn’t issue any press statement before the LG elections.

In a post on 20 September, the Facebook user wrote, “Imo Police Command, no statement

“ISIEC, no Statement

“Commissioner for Information, no statement

“Civil Defence, no statement

“No message to bus commuters who may pass through Owerri for their travels?

“Every where kwayeeet.

The post by Mr Ikeokwu garnered many reactions as commenters believed that this was true.

Verification

FACTWATCH did a Google keyword search and found a report that confirmed that the Imo police command issued a press statement before the LG elections in the State.

In the statement on September 20, the Police Commissioner said restrictions on vehicular movement would be enforced from 00:00 to 18:00 hours on election day.

Check similar story Here and Here.

Verdict

The claim that Imo police command didn’t issue any press statement before Imo LG elections is FALSE.

Also, the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Imo State, Mary Mbanugo, said on Friday officers of the NSCDC are ready for deployment to cover the Edo governorship and Imo council elections.

In a statement on Friday, the Commandant said that many officers and men of the Imo State Command had been deployed to Edo State for coverage of the governorship poll while others would cover the council elections in Imo State on Saturday, September 21.

See similar report Here

Verdict.

The claim that the Civil Defence didn’t release a press statement before the LG elections in Imo is FALSE.

Amidst apprehension following concerns raised by opposition parties, the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) said on Friday that local government in the state goes ahead today as scheduled.

Chairman of ISIEC, Charles Ejiogu, said that the Commission has trained 15,000 ad-hoc staff in preparation for last Saturday’s council polls.

Check publication that corroborate this report Here.

Verdict

This Claim that ISEC didn’t issue any press statement before the LG elections in Imo is FALSE.

However, this Fact checker couldn’t find any report where the Commissioner for Information in Imo, issued a press statement regarding the LG elections..

Verdict

This claim that the Imo Commissioner For Information didn’t release a statement before the LGA elections is Correct.