Anambra Government Poll Is Not Over

The governorship election held in Anambra State on Saturday could not be concluded. The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission attributed the development to logistics problems.

Elections in 65 polling units in Idemili North Local Government Area were cancelled. The Public Relations Officer of the state electoral commission, Mr. Frank Egbo, confirmed the cancellation saying to the journalists, “The election was cancelled because of logistics issues. The elections will be conducted Sunday (today)in those areas.”

However, some of the early results are already available: Atupolum Unit 003, Nimo Ward in Njikoka LGA, APGA 64; APC 32. Atupolum Unit 004, Nimo Ward, Njikoka Local Government Area: APGA 84; APC 28. At Arroma Unit 1, Awka South Local Government Area: APGA 45; APC 25; Arroma Unit 2; APGA 34; APC 33. Permanent Site Government House, Awka: APGA 50; APC 51. Ogidi Town Hall Idemili North LGA: APGA 23; APC 58; PDP 22. Polling Unit 010: Ogidi Town Hall: APGA 8; APC39; PDP 14.

Nimo Ward 3, Njikoka LGA results were as follows: APGA 639; APC 246: PDP 179; LP 26 and PPA 7.

According to the information gathered, 349 collation and returning officers were brought in from Calabar, but the Cross River State Resident Electoral Officer, Mr. Mike Igini, who was one of the 15 RECs invited to coordinate the Anambra election, was conspicuously absent.

It is well known already that there were serious complaints of violations in some areas where opposition candidates had strong support base.

The candidate of the PDP, Mr. Tony Nwoye, could not vote at the Offia Nta Nsugbe Ward 1 unit 008 because his name was missing on the voter register. What is more, his parent's, uncle's and wife's names were also not on the list.

He returned to the polling unit later to find out whether the situation had been handled, but nothing had been done. He said out of the 500 names on the register, only fifty people could find their names.

Similarly, Mr. Arthur Eze, a major financier of the PDP could not find his name on the voter register at his polling station at Ukpo Ward, Dunukofia Local Government Area.

Electoral materials were on Saturday in short supplies in most of the polling units in the stronghold of the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Dr. Chris Ngige, and his Labour Party counterpart, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah.

While Ngige had lamented that the attempt was aimed at reducing the votes in his areas of strength, Ubah had alleged sabotage by the electoral body.

According to the journalists, there were no result sheets in most of the polling units visited in Alor and Uke in Idemili South.

Ngige, who spoke shortly after casting his vote at about 1:30pm, was also disappointed with the lack of materials saying that the shortage of electoral materials was a deliberate attempt to reduce his votes in his stronghold.

Ngige said, “From the reports reaching me directly, we discovered that there is a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise Awka South, Idemili North, Idemili South, Dunukofia among others. Idemili North alone has 180, 000 voters.

Ubah also commented on the elections, noting that there were a lot of controversies about the elections and that such a situation doesn't indicate free and fair election process.

The candidate the Progressive Peoples Alliance, Chief Godwin Ezeemo said that those who should have been the best candidates were schemed out of the process, saying Anambra indigenes had no option but to accept whoever emerges.

He said, “As it is now, we have no other option but to accept whosoever God gives to us and keep praying that all will be well with Anambra State.”