…APGA’s Chukwuma Soludo is in clear lead
…APC kicks
Awka – Following insecurity in Ihiala Local Government Area which marred the poll in the LGA during the conduct of Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared the election inconclusive.
The INEC State Returning Officer for the Anambra Governorship election, Prof. Florence Obi, made declaration at the early hours Monday in Awka, the state capital.
INEC ad-hoc staff and electorate
Prof Obi, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Cross River, announced that a supplementary election would be conducted in Ihiala LGA on Tuesday, 9th November.
Explaining further, she stated that election could not hold in the LGA due to security reasons.
She said taking into consideration the provisions of relevant sections of the Electoral Act and the nation’s Constitution, it would be wrong to announce the result without allowing people in 131 polling units in Ihiala to exercise their franchise.
According to her, it becomes imperative to bring Ihiala at equal pedestal with other local government areas before making declaration of the result.
Some Party Agents at the collation centre
”As the Electoral Officer, I hereby announce the suspension of result until elections are held in all the polling units in Ihiala.
”Supplementary election will take place in the area on Nov. 9,” Prof. Obi said.
It will be recalled that before suspending collation of the results, had had read out the total number of votes so far scored by candidates.
She said that Prof. Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored a total of 103, 946 votes beating Mr Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to a second position with a total number of 51,322 votes.
Sen. Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC) got a total of 42,942 votes to emerge third.
Anambra state APC chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike (in red cap) addressing the press
Obi announced that Prof. Chukwuma Soludo won in 18 out of the 20 Local Government Areas of the State already declared.
She listed the LGAs where Soludo won to include – Anambra East, Dunukofia, Awka South, Oyi, Anaocha, Ayamelum, Idemili South and Onitsha South.
Others are Njikoka, Orumba South, Onitsha North, Idemili North, Ekwusigo, Aguata, Orumba North and Nnewi South.
Valentine Ozigbo, the PDP candidate won in Ogbaru with 3,445 votes, APGA came second while APC came third in the LGA.
The Young Progressive Party (YPP) Sen. Ifeanyi Uba won his home Local Government, Nnewi North, recording a distant fourth position in the election with a total 20,917 in results collated so far.
Obi stated that total number of valid votes already collated was 229,521, void votes 7,841 while total number of votes cast was 237,362.
She praised all parties for their support, noting that supplementary election would be held only in Ihiala.
Prof. Obi who said that the final result will be announced after completing the election in Ihiala LGA, quoted relevant sections of the Electoral Act, and Section 22 of the Constitution which provide for re-run in event of insecurity.
Meanwhile the All Progressives Congress is reported to have rejected the outcome of the election, yet to be concluded.
The party is calling for outright cancellation of the election, alleging it was characterized by fraud and malpractice.
The Chairman of APC in Anambra State, Chief Basil Ejidike who made the call in Awka, said they would challenge the outcome up to the Supreme Court.
“What is happening in Anambra is never an election but big time electoral fraud and malpractice. We want the whole world to hear our voice that we will never accept the outcome of the Anambra Gubernatorial election.
“The candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the sitting Governor Willie Obiano manipulated the whole electoral system and we’ll stand to resist it’s.
INEC officials at the collation center
“Ndi Anambra wants an APC Governor and there’s nothing anyone can do to deny them that opportunity. We virtually won in all the local government but Willie Obiano and Charles Soludo through instrumentality corrupt minded INEC officers subverted the whole process in favour of APGA.
“We want INEC to cancel the election and fix a date for a fresh election devoid of manipulations and malpractices. But if INEC goes ahead to announce the results, we will definitely challenge the election process at the court of law, up-to Supreme Court. Nobody can intimidate us,” he said.
Recall that prior to the election, the APGA led Anambra State Government through the Commissioner for Information, C Don Adinuba did allege that the All Progressives Congress, APC had written election results for not less than 10 LGAs ahead of the Saturday Nov. 6 election.
