•Traditional rulers depart amid party squabbles, Labour organizes an airport, and power outages
•IG launches new CPs; three are slain in Kogi; INEC dismisses request to remove Imo REC
Tuesday’s peace conference, arranged by the Independent National Electoral Commission in anticipation of this Saturday’s governorship election in Imo State, ended in disarray in Owerri, the state capital, when Kenneth Ukeagu, the INEC National Commissioner for South-East, gave reporters instructions to turn off their cameras and other devices.
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As the interactive session came to an abrupt end due to opposition to Ukeagu’s command from members of the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party, participants—especially traditional rulers—left the chamber.
In what could be considered yet another shady development, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on Tuesday ordered Imo State laborers to go on strike on Wednesday, the current day, in opposition to Governor Hope Uzodimma, who is standing for reelection.
Because the state’s transportation system and other public facilities were scheduled to be shut down, there was fear that the strike would make it impossible for the INEC to distribute and transfer materials, perhaps endangering the election.
At the Owerri meeting, there was unrest when Ukeagu, the INEC chairman’s representative, told reporters to turn off their cameras.
Tony Nwulu, a deputy governorship candidate for the Labour Party, contested the instruction, raising concerns about its reasoning.
Nwulu questioned whether the gathering was “a secret cult” and emphasized that the media would not be barred from the stakeholders’ meeting.