Category: Anambra Decides 2021

Chief Victor Umeh, former National Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the introduction of Bimodal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS).

Umeh, who is the agent of Prof. Charles Soludo, the gubernatorial candidate of APGA in Saturday’s election, said the usage of the device made the process seamless.

He made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Awka.

Read Also: Anambra Poll: INEC gets 19 out of 21 LGA results

Umeh said though the BVAS has its challenge, the device was good when compared to the card reader machine.

“Yesterday, the BVAS device could not capture the finger prints of older people and that reduced the number of people who apparently would have voted,” he said.

Umeh said that APGA was grateful to INEC and security operatives for the provision of conducive environment for the exercise.

“We are grateful to God that the election was largely peaceful except for Ihiala where the Commission was unable to distribute the election materials due to some hiccups,” he said.

Umeh said that he was at INEC state headquarters for the collation of election results, adding that the party was thankful to Anambra people for believing in her. (NAN)

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, has announced the receipt of results from 19 local government areas in the State out of 21

The remaining two, according to the Commission are being awaited and will reach the Commission in the afternoon

The announcement was made Sunday morning at the Commission’s office in Awka by Mr Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner, in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee

Read Also: Anambra guber poll: APC urges APGA not to heat polity

Though he did not mention the local government areas of the remaining two, he said the announcement of the local government results would commence at 11 am

However, the stage is set for the commencement of the release of the Anambra governorship election results, conducted on Saturday in the State

The Director, Media and Publicity for Sen. Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation (SAUGCO), Mr Afam Ogene, has urged the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra to stop heating the polity.

Ogene said that the call became necessary based on what he called the false claims by APGA that the All Progressive Congress (APC) had already written results of the gubernatorial poll in 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state before the election commenced.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports on Saturday in Awka that SAUGCO call is contained in a release Ogene made available to newsmen.

SAUGCO expressed worry on how such the claim emanated from an incumbent government and described the allegation as “ridiculous“.

“If the government was sure that such action happened on the eve of an election in its state, the best is to quit the governorship race and like true compatriots warmly congratulate the presumptive winner of the contest, Sen. Andy Uba,“ Ogene said in the statement.

Read Also: Anambra must get it right, warns IYM

He said that it was a failure on the part of the Anambra government to release such incomprehensible allegation signed by its Commissioner of Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don Adinuba.

“Indeed, if APGA were to believe their own lies, why then are they still pretending to be in the governorship race?

“Real politics, as well as real life situation, dictate that once one is snookered beyond help, the right and appropriate step to take is to throw in the towel of surrender.

“Anyone who has followed the trajectory of APGA’s campaign leading up to Saturday’s poll would have noted that the dominant theme of its electioneering was the flurry with which it manufactured one tale after another, all targeted at the APC.

“For an issue as delicate as having some results of today’s election already written, how come APGA is the only political party privy to this fact?

“As a matter of fact, are we now being confronted with a fait accompli by the outgoing governor, Chief Willy Obiano’s administration, in a classic case of the witch crying in the night and the child dying at dawn,” Ogene said .

SAUGCO expressed the hope that the winner of the Anambra governorship election would only emerge from votes garnered at the various polling units across the state.

Ogene said that the attempt to pull wool over people’s eyes, as he alleged APGA was doing, was a ploy taken too far.

He alleged that Commissioner Adinuba, who doubled as spokesman of the Prof. Charles Soludo campaign, claimed to have “received credible intelligence reports about moves by a certain political party to use the instrumentality of the state to arrest key officials of the state government anytime on trumped up charges.”

“Curiously, the same official (Adinuba) was to go ahead to state emphatically that “none of the heads of the national security agencies is aware of this plot.” (NAN)

Dr Nkem Okeke, Anambra Deputy Governor, displayed his ballot paper to other voters on Saturday before casting his vote.

He said that he did this to dispel the rumour making the round that he had re-defected to his former party, the All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA).

“I had to reveal my ballot paper because there have been rumors that I had defected back to APGA, but that is not true. You just saw that I voted for my party, APC,” he said.

Dr expressed satisfaction at the new technology, the Biometric Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), introduced by INEC at the on-going governorship election in the state.

Okeke expressed the satisfaction after voting at the Umueze Awozu, Enugwu-Ukwu Ward 3, polling unit 005.

The high turnout of voters delayed the deputy governor for some time before he could cast his vote.

He commended the use of BVAS, saying it presented a seamless voting process.

“This is the easiest that I have had in voting experience ever; the process is unified and as you can see, I have just voted. In previous elections, I have always had problem with fingerprint; but this is different, ’’ he said.

Read Also: Anambra guber: Impressive turnout of voters in Awka, Njikoka, Idemil LGAs

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC has extended voting deadline to 4 p.m.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra, Mr Ukwuchukwu Orji, told newsmen in Awka that if the issue of delay because of malfunctioning voting machines was not addressed, the deadline would be extended for another day.

Orji said INEC decided to extend voting deadline because of some glitches in the machines.

He said that the extension would enable voters to participate in the process and assured that INEC would ensure that all registered voters got the opportunity to exercise their franchise.

Earlier on Saturday, a chieftain of the APC, Chief John Bosco Onunkwo, called on INEC to extend the voting deadline by three hours.

He said this was necessary to accommodate the high number of people who were yet to vote. (NAN)

Counting of votes has started in some polling units in Awka township after Saturday governorship election in Anambra.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that though voting began late in some polling units in Awka, the exercise was concluded about 3.30pm.

Mr Ugochukwu Nwosu, a voter at the Agu ward 2 polling unit 009, said that the election was peaceful in the area.

“I am the last person who voted at the polling unit 009, I think that the whole thing was generally peaceful,” he said

Read Also: BREAKING: INEC extends voting till Sunday

At  Amawbia Ward II PU 008, counting of votes has also started, the situation was also the same at Oko wards one and two in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC ) has announced that the exercise will continue in some polling units where voters recorded hiccups in the accreditation process.

Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, the state INEC Resident Electoral Commission who briefed journalists in Awka said the commission received complaints of the malfunctioning of the machine in some locations.

He said that the commission has therefore resolved to extend the election period in such areas to give opportunity for voters to vote.(NAN)

Gunmen on Saturday allegedly took away ballot boxes from two polling centres at the Immaculate Heart Catholic Church and the St Faith Catholic Church in Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State.

The assailants, numbering about six,  stormed the St Faith Catholic Church by Mbonu Ejike/Basden Junction in an unmarked L300 bus.

They shot indiscriminately to scare the voters and security operatives.

Read Also: BREAKING: INEC extends voting till Sunday

The Nation gathered that the gunmen drove straight to the ballot boxes and fled with two of them.

“I am sure they were two boxes but an INEC official from his hiding place said it was just one,” an eyewitness said.

The centre has been deserted by both the voters and security operatives.

Another set of gunmen stormed the polling unit at the Immaculate Heart Church along Ziks Avenue, snatching a ballot box.

By Nwanosike Onu, Awka, Okodili Ndidi, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended voting in the Anambra State governorship election till Sunday.

It is to enable those who could not vote on Saturday due to the malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machine to do so.

The machine failed to work in many units.

Addressing reporters at the INEC office in Awka, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, said the closing of voting had been shifted from 2.30 pm to 4. pm on Saturday, after which the exercise will continue on Sunday in units where voting could not hold.

He said the machines suffered software hitches, adding that the commission’s engineers were working to rectify the problem.

He said materials did not arrive on time at some polling units because some drivers and ad-hoc staff failed to turn up.

Orji said: “It must be noted that on account of security concerns, some of the transporters that were mobilised and collected 50 per cent of their sign-on fee backed out at the last moment, leaving some of our ad-hoc staff stranded.

“Also, some of the trained ad-hoc staff backed out at the last moment. The Commission is on top of these challenges and extant regulations and guidelines will be applied on a case by case basis.

“INEC has extended the period for opening and closing of the poll from 8.30am to 4.00pm.

Read Also: JUST IN: Voters stranded as BIVAS machines break down

“This revised closing time applies to areas where polling units opened after the commencement period of 8.30 am.

“In line with existing regulations and guidelines of the Commission, any intending voter who is on the queue by 4.00 pm shall be allowed to vote. All Polling Unit staff must comply with this directive.

“The extension of time arose out of several field reports that voters have had problems with accreditation.

“The Commission is currently investigating the reason the accreditation devices, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), have worked perfectly in some Polling Units, but not in others. In some of the cases, it would seem that this resulted from software glitches.

“Our technicians have already built an update to the devise software to prevent further challenges.

“The update is currently being installed in the concerned BVAS and we request voters, candidates and agents to be patient and allow our technical staff to solve the problem.

“The Commission wishes to reiterate that in cases of sustained malfunction of the BVAS, the Presiding Officer must inform the voters and polling agents that accreditation and voting for the affected Polling Unit shall continue tomorrow or at another time determined by the Commission.

“With this extension of time and the recommencement of accreditation where the BVAS consistently malfunctions, the Commission assures that no voter will be disenfranchised.

“We appeal to all voters, candidates, stakeholders communities and political parties to remain calm and law-abiding. We assure you that the Commission is determined to make all votes count.”

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State, Senator Andy Uba, has said he was confident of winning today’s election.

He told reporters after voting at the Okwute Primary School, Uga, that with the number of defections of major political bigwigs to APC, it would be almost impossible for him to lose the election.

Uba said: “What do you expect in a situation where people with many followers in their various wards are leaving their parties for APC?

Read Also: ZLP candidate Okonkwo hails security arrangement

“It means the election is as good as having been won by us. Otherwise, they (defectors) will be disgraced.”

On the challenges posed by the faulty Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines, Uba believes they would be fixed soon.

“It’s a little issue that will be fixed soon. I trust the process. It has been free; it has been fair,” he said.

He expressed satisfaction with the turnout of voters across the state in spite of the initial security threats.

The governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Dr Obiora Okonkwo, has praised the Federal Government on the security arrangements in the ongoing election in Anambra State.

He said he wished the state would remain calm long after the election.

Read Also: Anambra deputy governor suprised by turnout

Okonkwo decried the malfunction of the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) machines.

The ZLP candidate voted at 12.49 pm at Ogidi Town Tall, Unit 009, Ward 2.

He said the BIVAS machines failed in many places.

He regretted that the late commencement of accreditation and voting kept voters waiting for too long at different units.