The Igbo Maritime Forum (IMF) on Wednesday conducted elections into its Apapa chapter and a bye election at its Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) chapter, even as contestants in the Apapa elections have described the electioneering process as highly fraudulent.
For the Apapa chairmanship post, Sir Mike Ekeocha emerged winner after defeating his opponent Chief Emeka Chukwumaluby 141 votes as against 135 votes polled by Chukwumalu.
The Igbo Maritime Forum (IMF) on Wednesday conducted elections into its Apapa chapter and a bye election at its Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) chapter, even as contestants in the Apapa elections have described the electioneering process as highly fraudulent.
For the Apapa chairmanship post, Sir Mike Ekeocha emerged winner after defeating his opponent Chief Emeka Chukwumaluby 141 votes as against 135 votes polled by Chukwumalu.
Even though he refused to comment on the result, candidates from Chukumalu's camp who spoke with Shipping Position Daily after the election alleged that there were anomalies in the process of the election.
One of them, Obiora Emeh who was defeated as Financial Secretary told our correspondent that the electoral officers adjusted the voters list without due consultations with both camps. He also alleged that people that were not registered were allowed to vote.
Emeh said: "We observed a lot of anomalies in this election, we were given a particular stoppage date for registration and at that we were told that the list is 670 and this is what will be used for the election, but surprisingly, when we came here and made enquiries we found out they were using 745".
He said that if there will be an extension, the electoral officers should have informed interested parties so that they can continue to register, but he alleged that this was done through the back door.
"Secondly, in my presence here, one of the electoral officers was allowing people whose names were not on the list to vote, when I accosted him, he hid the list and later cancelled it and claimed it was an error, with this, I and my team believe this election is a fundamental fraud and we are going to table our grievances to the national body" he said.
Also speaking after the election, the elected Chairman, Sir Mike Ekeocha expressed shock at the claims by his opponents.
Ekeocha said that his opponent, Chukwumalu does not have a clear understanding of what the Igbo Maritime Forum stands for and this was why he lost out.
"The election was not fraudulent, go and check the register, everyone that voted were registered, the only thing is that my opponent does not know the meaning of maritime, he thought that maritime is only for clearing agents, he has to wait for another four years, he has made a mistake" Ekeocha said.
He appreciated members of the IMF at Apapa chapter promising to deliver and serve them. He however promised those that lost in the election that he was going to incorporate them into the government. He said that his first step is to unite the Igbos and ensure peace.
Electoral officer, Chief Dom Obi in his chat with Shipping Position Daily debunked any irregularities in the elections.
He said that contestants were voted in from both camps.
"In every election, the losers must complain, an election that has six votes difference and somebody is complaining, those who won in the election were from the two camps, how come people from his camp also won? Everything was done openly, he sent his representatives and they saw how it was counted, it was a free and fair election" Obi stated.
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