Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and three of his opponents were absent at a meeting on Wednesday for parties to sign a peace accord ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The two other candidates absent at the event are Athan Achonu of the Labour Party; Tony Ejiogu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance; and Ben Odunze of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Ben Odunze.
The event was organised by the National Peace Committee in Owerri, the state capital ahead of the November 11 governorship election in the state.
Governor Uzodimma, Achonu and Anyanwu were represented by their running mates but the organisers did not allow them to sign on behalf of the governorship candidates.
There has been tension already in the state with Achonu on Sunday accusing the state police command of working for Governor Uzodimma after he was denied access to a church service.
Achonu also accused the police of shooting at his convoy and called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to remove the state police commissioner, Mohammed Barde.
Egbetokun on Monday redeployed Barde.
It was learnt that Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party attended the event but left after noticing that some others were not there.
Some party chairmen who were present were allowed to sign.
According to the organisers, there is an opportunity for those who were not present on Wednesday to sign at the police commissioner’s office on Thursday.
