The governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has won 17 out of twenty-one local government areas (LGAs) of Anambra state, according to results of November 6 poll announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Sunday in Awka.
Soludo won in Anambra East, Ayamelum, Oyi, Dunukofia, Anaocha, Awka South, Idemili South, Onitsha South, Njikoka, Orumba South, Awka North, Anambra West, Nnewi South, Ekwusigo, Idemili North, Onitsha North, and Onitsha South LGAs.
But the candidates of Young Progressive Party (YPP), Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, won in his home local government area-Nnewi North, just as his counterparts in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Valentine Ozigbo won at Ogbaru local government area where Senator Stella Odua, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) hails from.
There were no elections at Ihiala local government area due to late arrival of voting materials and other related issues, whereas results for Orumba North LGA was not announced following allegations by the Collation Officer, Dr Michael Otu that he was forced to sign it under duress.
INEC also revealed that there were other polling units across all the local government areas where elections were either cancelled or not held due to pockets of violence, manipulations, absconding with result sheets, over voting and failures of Bio modal voting machines among other challenges.
‘I signed under duress’
The Collation Officer for Orumba North LGA, which has 18 polling units and 93,608 registered voters, Dr Otu alleged he was forced to sign the results at Ajalli, the local government headquarters, under duress and coercion, even as he accused the EO of conniving with those that forced him to sign results against his wish.
“I signed the document under duress and coercion. I was surrounded by enemies who brought thugs to kill me. It was a very pathetic experience. First was police crisis that took place at the place, BVAS issues and mutilation of results sheets. I was held hostage in the toilet. At a time, a woman, the LG Chairman came and told me that I have to sign it because if she loses the election she will lose her job,” Otu stated.
He lied – Umeh
Senator Victor Umeh, the APGA state collation agent, however, refuted his claims and urged the INEC to declare the result, as according to him, election was conducted in the area without any issue and his party won.
Responding, the INEC Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor, University of Calabar (UNICal), Professor Florence Obi, directed the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) UNICal, Dr John Edong and others to re-collate the results before the very eyes of the collation agents and bring back the results to be announced.
Final results and pronouncements on the election were being awaited as at press time.
Police thumb up electorate
Meanwhile, Anambra state Commissioner of Police Echeng Echeng has commended the people of the state for the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s governorship election.
Echeng told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka Sunday that he was impressed by the overall peace in the state during the election.
“It is on record that we have witnessed one of the most peaceful elections in recent times in the country. I can beat my chest on that,” he said.
He said there were no security breaches during the election.
“The election was peaceful, and we had no incident of violence, ballot snatching or fighting in any polling unit in the state,” he said.
Echeng thanked security agencies in the state and said the seamless collaboration among them was the main reason for the peace experienced during the election.
“We synergised with sister security agencies and made sure it was incident-free, we held meetings over a long period of time preparing for the election and it paid off,” he said.
The police boss said the peaceful conduct of the election had proven that Anambra was one of the most peaceful states in the country.
” Prior to the election, I have been telling people that Anambra is one of the most peaceful states in the country and the peaceful conduct of the election has proven that,” he said.
He, however, acknowledged that there were some hitches during the election due to the malfunctioning of some INECgadgets.
“Wherever you have hitches during the election, it was not based on security problem, rather it was based on problems associated with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) equipment. I think we deserve commendation,” he said.
CSOs score NSCDC high
Similarly, a coalition of civil society and non-governmental organisations under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Transparency and Accountability has commended the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and its leadership for the professional conduct of its officers and men deployed to Anambra state for the polls.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja Sunday, spokesperson for the coalition, Comrade Sunday Attah, said the officers and men of the NSCDC engaged with voters, other security agents and citizens in the state with dignity, mutual respect and proficiency.
The coalition comprises several other sister organisations including; the Stand Up Nigeria Movement, Save Humanity Advocacy Centre, Nigeria Unite Against Corruption, Voice for Change Congress and Arewa Youths Federation.
It commended NSCDC Commandant General Dr Ahmed Audi for his top-to-bottom exemplary leadership style which puts professionalism, dedication to service and sacrifice at the forefront of his vision since assuming office.
Attah, who led a team of CSOs to monitor the elections, noted that “with the preliminary reports from our officials on election monitoring and observation assignment in Anambra, we are satisfied that officers and men of the corps on ground in Anambra to forestall attacks on voters and ensure a hitch-free electoral process adhered strictly to the warning of the NSCDC boss that they should avoid excessive use of force and abide by all rules of engagement.
“We recall that during a situational assessment visit to Anambra state ahead of the election, Dr Audi made it clear to his 20,000-strong NSCDC operatives deployed for the election to observe the highest level of professionalism, civility, decorum and respect for the rights of all voters coming out to exercise their franchise in order to elect the next governor for the state”.
According to Attah, “It is heart-warming; therefore, to note that the warning did not fall on deaf ears as men of the corps conducted themselves at the realm of professionalism throughout the election day.”
NYCN lauds corps members, others
Also, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has commended the National Youth Service Corps members that served as ad-hoc electoral officials and security agencies during the election for their role in strengthening democracy in Nigeria.
NYCN Vice President Akoshile Mukhtar gave the commendation Sunday in Abuja while speaking on the peaceful conduct of the election.
He said the corps members had proven that the youths can take charge of any national responsibility assigned to them at the state and national levels.
He said “an on- the- spot information has it that the election was conducted in a free and fair manner, while the corps members deployed for the election showed the highest level of professionalism and moral uprightness.
“No NYSC member was fingered for any malpractice or unethical behaviour. On behalf of the NYCN, l appreciate the corps members and refer to them as a true ambassadors of the Nigerian Youth.
“Furthermore, NYCN also commend our gallant men and women of the Nigeria Police Force for protecting Nigerians, especially the corps members during the electioneering process.”
APGA leader lauds INEC
In a related development, a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Umeh, has commended the INEC for the introduction of Bimodal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS).
Umeh, who was the agent of the party’s gubernatorial candidate in Saturday’s election, said the deployment 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.
Umeh said though the BVAS has its challenges, the device was good when compared to the card reader machine.
“Yesterday, the BVAS device could not capture the fingerprints of older people and that reduced the number of people who apparently would have voted,” he said.
The party chief said APGA was grateful to INEC and security operatives for the provision of a 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.
Mr Umeh said 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.
Below is the official INEC results of the exercise on local government by local government basis:
(1) Dunukofia LGA
APC 1991
APGA 4124
PDP 1680
YPP 1360
(2) Awka South LGA
APC 2595
APGA 12,891
PDP 5498
YPP 919
(3) Oyi LGA
APC 2830
APGA 6133
PDP 2484
YPP 900
(4) Ayamelum LGA
APC 2409
APGA 3424
PDP 2804
YPP 407
(5) Anaocha LGA
APC 2085
APGA 6911
PDP 5108
YPP 868
(6) Anambra East LGA
APC 2034
APGA 9747
PDP 1380
YPP 559
(7) Idemili South LGA
APC 1039
APGA 2312
PDP 2016
YPP 752
(8) Onitsha South LGA
APC 2050
APGA 4281
PDP 2253
YPP 271
(9) Njikoka LGA
APC 3216
APGA 8803
PDP 3409
YPP 924
(10) Nnewi North LGA
APC 1278
APGA 3369
PDP 1511
YPP 6485
(11) Orumba South LGA
APC 2060
APGA 4394
PDP 1672
YPP 887
(12) Ogbaru LGA
APC 1178
APGA 3051
PDP 3445
YPP 484
(13) Onitsha North LGA
APC 3909
APGA 5587
PDP 3781
YPP 682
(14) Aguata LGA
APC 4773
APGA 9136
PDP 3798
YPP 1070
(15) Ihiala LGA
No election
(16) Idemili North LGA
APC 2291
APGA 5358
PDP 2312
YPP 902
(17) Ekwusigo LGA
APC 1237
APGA 2570
PDP 1857
YPP 727
(18) Nnewi South LGA
APC 1307
APGA 3243
PDP 2226
YPP 1327
(19) Orumba North LGA
(Result contested. Not declared)
(20) Awka North LGA
APC 755
APGA 1908
PDP 840
YPP 381
(21) Anambra West LGA
APC 1233
APGA 1918
PDP 1401
YPP 357
