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Tag: Anambra

  • Anambra: INEC reschedules election in 65 polling units

    Anambra: INEC reschedules election in 65 polling units

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rescheduled election in 65 polling units in Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area for Sunday.

    Voting could not hold in the wards due to late arrival of materials and other logistics challenges.

    Electoral Commissioner (REC) Prof Chukwuemeka Onukogu made the announcement in a statement issued in Awka on Saturday.

    The statement, signed by the Public Relations Officer Frank Egbo said the rescheduling was due to “challenges of logistics” in the areas.

    “Any inconveniences are highly regretted,” the statement added.

    Onukogu said the rescheduled election will hold at Obosi Registration Area, Ward 07.

    The election will hold between 8am and 12.30pm.

    INEC urged all parties to get ready for the poll.

    The disenfranchisement of voters marred the election in Idemili North and South Local Government Areas due to lack of voting materials, incomplete voters’ registers, and lack results sheets.

    In centres where over 600 people registered, only about 100 or less  found  their names in the registers.

    Some of the voters were told that additional list containing more names of registered persons would be brought, but none came.

  • Logistic problems mar Anambra election

    The governorship election in Anambra State on Saturday was marred by disenfranchisement of votes, logistic problems and pockets of violence.Some of the major contenders in the race were dissatisfied with the exercise.

    In Alor, the ward of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, only 72 names were found in the register containing 600 voters.

    The names of the  flag bearer of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP)  Comrade Tony Nwoye and his parents  were not found on the voting list and could not vote at their  polling booths in  Nsugbe.

    Nwoyes mentor and chief financier, Chief Arthur Eze, could also  not vote. His name was also missing. Independent National Electoral Commission  officials at the polling booths  could not give reasons for the omission of the names of the affected persons  who had valid voters card.
    Speaking with  newsmen later, Nwoye said the rigging of the election was pre-planned with the  use the police and the army.

    He said his parents and himself voted in the same ward where their names could not be found now during the last general election in 2011.

    According to him, over 70 percent of the registered names in his ward were missing. He lamented his inability to reach the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) Prof Attahiru Jega to lodge a formal complain.
    “Unlike during the time of Iwu when I was the PDP chairman in the state, you get him with just one dial,” he said.
    He said he is resigning himself to fate until the results of the elections were released.
    Voters affected by last year’s flood disaster, estimated to be about  three thousands, could not vote in many centres due to loss of their voters cards to the flood.
    The people of Anambra East and Ogbaru local government council areas were worst hit.
    They had come out for accreditation in the morning, like all other voters, but could not produce their cards having lost all of them to the flood.

    The obviously unhappy voters complained to the traditional ruler of Aguleri, Igwe Christopher Idigo, when he arrived the St. Jude Catholic Church voting centre for accreditation.
    Disturbed by the complaints, the Igwe with some members of his council sought for a solution. They approached the INEC officials who referred them to the Supervisory Officer. After consulting with the Supervisory officer, Chinenye Okonkwo, the party agents at the polling centre were summoned.
    It was agreed between the INEC officials and all the party agents that the affected voters be allowed to vote as long as they were identified and their names and photographs were in the register.

    Late accreditation and other sundry logistic also affected the election. For instance voting which ought to have begun by 8am, was yet to start in most centres  as at 10am.
    At the voting unit in Ogbankwa, in Awka South Local Government Area, where there are 20 wards, voters were patiently waiting for voting materials to arrive. At Unit 26 in Ward 3, Ezinano, Agulu LGA, accreditation begun at about 9.30am. About nine persons had been accredited when The Nation visited there.
    There was confusion over a voting centre in Nziko in Oyi Local Government Area as two major polling units there had to be urgently relocated for security reasons.
    Voters were said to have come out for accreditation but did not meet any voting officer there.
    It led to panic calls to INEC headquarters, but it was later learnt that National Commissioner in charge of Oyi LGA Ambassador Ahmed Wali intervened to resolve the problem.
    The notorious centre, said to be located inside a thick forest, is known as a rigging centre in Anambra.

  • Ngige: I’m disappointed by INEC

    Ngige: I’m disappointed by INEC

    All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Anambra State Dr Chris Ngige has expressed disappointment with the conduct of Saturday’s election.

    Ngige said there was a deliberate attempt to dis-enfranchise voters in areas that are his stronghold.

    He spoke with reporters after casting his votes.

    “From reports reaching us, there is a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise voters in Idemili North, Idemili South, Awka South, portions of Dunukofia, all aimed at my voting strength centres.

    “Idemili North a lone has 180,000 registered voters. In the last Senatorial election, it was a place that I scored the highest number of votes, more than any other Senatorial candidate

    “Idemili South is also my home base. Part of Aniocha, like Ichida, Adazi-Enu – they have been voting for me. And in all these places, there’s shortage of electoral materials.”

  • Anambra: Obi applauds election

    Anambra State Governor Mr Peter Obi has hailed Saturday’s governorship election in the state describing the exercise as smooth.

    Obi voted at about 1.00 pm at his Agulu Ward 2, Unit 19 in Anaocha Local Government Area of the State and was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Margaret Obi.

    Speaking to journalists after voting,  Obi said he did not come out on time because of the restriction that was announced by the security agencies and the electoral umpire.
    ” As far as I am concerned, in this unit, everything is going on smoothly. There has been no reports of violence here in Agulu, if any anybody has heard or knows , please let me know. But so far, so good”, he said.
    On the restriction order by security forces, Governor Obi said it was in order and that it has helped in stopping possible violence and unfettered movement by people who, ordinarily have nothing to do with the election that was going on.
    ” We have been told before that there would be restriction of movement, that is why I was also restricted so much so that, I did not get here early. I am here now without any escort and I am going back to my Lodge without any escort. So the restriction of movement was for the benefit of all of us”, he said.

  • Two shot for ballot box snatching

    Two people have reportedly been shot in Amaenyi, Awka South Local Government Area while allegedly attempting to snatch ballot boxes.

    Details on the shooting is still sketchy

  • Anambra : Results will not be acceptable without voting in all LGs

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned that it will not accept the results of Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra state if voting does not take place in all local governments, especially in the party’s strongholds of Idemili North and South as well as Akwa South.

    In a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also condemned Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  for the inability of thousands of voters to exercise their franchise.
    The party demanded the immediate removal of the incompetent and conniving Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu.
    APC said it was totally astonished to learn that INEC has confirmed that materials meant for Idemili North Local  Government, which has 180,000 voters, have been hijacked, without disclosing  who hijacked the ballot papers and why, and without explaining why the materials meant for APGA and PDP strongholds were not hijacked.
    The party said equally astonishing is the fact that the voter’s registers for Idemili South, the direct Local Government of the APC candidate, Dr. Chris Ngige, did not contain the names of voters in the local government, despite the assurances by INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega.

    ”Before the election, political parties were given voter’s registers that largely contained the names of most voters. However, about four days to the election, Prof Jega said at an interactive stakeholders forum that there were problems with the registers, which would be rectified before the election.
    ”However, when the supposedly-corrected registers were brought back, most of the authentic names in them have disappeared, without explanation,” it said.
    APC said it also complained about the fact that the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra, Prof Onukogu, was very partial and unprofessional when he conducted the 2011 election,
    ”In 2011, when Prof. Onukogu conducted the general elections in the state, he was very partial. During the Onitsha South 2 House of Assembly constituency and Idemili South House of Assembly polls, he declared the results of both inconclusive, only for him to announce the results at 12 midnight. After we challenged the results in court and a rerun was ordered, we won both constituencies.

    ”We subsequently petitioned INEC and the Commission assured us that the same person will not be allowed to conduct subsequent election. Alas, he was left in place to do another damage to INEC as an institution through his glaring incompetence and partiality, which have seriously affected the credibility of this governorship election,” the party said.

  • Anambra: Voters disenfranchised

    Many voters  are reportedly being disenfranchised, particularly in areas where the All  Progressive Congress (APC) candidate,  Dr Chris Ngige candidate is strong.
    Voter registers according to election observers are said to be missing in some places and voting materials are also not available to the surprise of even INEC officials.
     ” The disenfranchisement is massive, and it appears to be a strategy by certain interests to influence the election” an observer said.

     

  • Photo: Governor Obi and his wife arriving for accreditation

    Photo: Governor Obi and his wife arriving for accreditation

  • Anambra: APC alleges lack of voting materials in strongholds

    Anambra: APC alleges lack of voting materials in strongholds

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised an alarm over  alleged late or non delivery of voting materials to the party’s strongholds at the ongoing Governorship election in Anambra State.

    In a statement issued from the party’s election situation room in Lagos on Saturday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the APC   described  the action as a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise the party’s supporters and make the election anything but free and fair.

    The party also said early reports from the state indicate a pattern of harassment of its members and the violation of INEC guidelines, among others and asked Nigerians to take note.

    It specifically decried the continued harassment of its Deputy National Secretary, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai by armed State Security Service (SSS) personnel, since he arrived at Awka on Friday night for the election.

    APC said apart from restricting Mallam el-Rufai to the Finotel Hotel where he is staying, the SSS personnel also barged into the hotel’s restaurant while he was eating and collected the phones of everyone there, apparently to prevent their pictures from being taken as they laid a siege on the hotel.

    ”These SSS personnel claimed to be acting on orders from above. Whoever gave them the order, we in the APC believe it is illegal to prevent a duly accredited top official of a party involved in an election from moving around to monitor the election. He has a right to be at the election as our Deputy National Secretary,” the party said.

    It also decried a situation in which a polling unit is situated right under the billboard bearing the pictures of APGA candidate Willie Obiano and his running mate in Aguleri, in clear violation of INEC guidelines.

    APC condemned a situation in which voting materials are being delivered late or not delivered at all to the party’s strongholds, including Idemili North and South, Akwa South, Dunukofia, Onitsha North and South, Orumba North and South, Oyi, Ogbaru and Nnewi North.

    ”As at the time of issuing this situation report, election materials have not yet arrived at Idemili North and South, Ogidi ward 1, Nkpor ward 1, Abatate, booth 012 of ward 2 Nibo and one booth at umunnakwe hall; There is no INEC or police presence at Obi Ilo Okoye polling unit in Awada, Onitsha; INEC register for 2011 were not brought to Palm Site Market 1&2; INEC is refusing to accredit voters in Awka South LG Ward 8; In Nnwei north Otolo ward 03, polling unit 14, only 6 people out of 77 were accredited and others couldn’t find their name; In Ward 8, Awka Government House, PDP agents are openly soliciting for votes in exchange for money, just as it is happening in Onitsha North Ward 100 and in CKC Adazi Nnukwu, and at Nteje Unit 004 in Oyi LG, APGA and PDP are negotiating how to share votes.

    ”These are just a few of the examples of the shenanigans going on right under the nose of INEC, and we demand an immediate rectification so that no citizen will be disenfranchised, and so that all the parties will have a level playing ground. If this is not done urgently, the promise of a free, fair and transparent election in
    Anambra by the President and INEC would have been nothing but a ruse,” APC said.

  • Photo: Election observers

    Mr Clement Nwankwo, Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), who is Head, Civil Society Election Situation Room and another observers.