•Complaints galore over Anambra guber poll
•INEC orders fresh election in Obosi ward today
•APC demands election in four LGAs
There was a plethora of compl-aints Saturday in Anambra State as the people went to the polls to elect a new governor, who will succeed the incumbent, Mr. Peter Obi.
Despite this, All Progressives Grand Alliance candidate, Willie Obiano, looks poised to win the election.
Initial results from Anambra North and parts of Anambra South senatorial districts put Obiano ahead in the poll contested by 23 candidates representing 23 political parties.
But there is a complaints galore, as many fault the election process.
The complaints ranged from absence of voters’ names in the voters’ registers to late arrival of electoral materials and allegedly unpaid allowances of National Youth Service Corps members on election duties by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Some of the NYSC members initially refused to work, in protest.
Owing to the logistic problems, polls did not open in many places for accreditation within the official time of 8am to 12 noon. Though, polling commenced relatively early in Awka, the state capital.
In Obosi Ward 7, INEC ordered a fresh election voting did not take place in the area due to non-accreditation of voters and absence of result sheets. The INEC Public Relations Officer in Anambra State, Frank Egbo, confirmed the lack of voting in Obosi Ward 7 and the commission’s decision to conduct fresh poll there. Obosi has 65 polling units. Egbo said the fresh voting would commence at 8am and end by 12.30pm today.
Voting did not also take place in Abatete town. A Toyota Hillux van belonging to INEC was later seen carrying some of the NYSC members that had been scheduled to conduct election in the area out of the polling centres.
But there was a heavy turnout of voters. Security was heavy within the state and movement was restricted.
Within Awka metropolis, many people said their names were not found in the voters’ registers and at some of the polling units, INEC officials were not on hand to address the complaints.
In Idemili North, comprising towns like Ukeh, Ideani, Ogidi, Obosi Abatete and Nkpor, accreditation of voters commenced late, as the NYSC members claimed that they had not been paid. Idemili North has a total registered voting strength of about 150, 000 voters.
In Uga town and Nnewi, the complaints were mainly about the absence of voters names in the voters’ registers. Though, many people came out to be accredited and they claimed they had been voting at the polling units since 2011. The Labour Party candidate, Ifeanyi Ubah, was accredited about 10am in his ward in Nnewi.
The candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Wilily Obiano, voted at Eri, Aguleri, in Anambra East Local Government Area.
The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Chris Ngige, was accredited at his NKwo Ide ward in Alor about 11.30am. Thereafter, he spoke about massive disentrancement of voters and missing result sheets. Alor has two wards – Ezi and Ifite wards.
The materials in Alor came late and there were allegations that the voters’ register that had been displayed was quite different from the one used for yesterday’s election. Specifically, the names missing from the register were those that began with alphabets O and U. Alor is the hometown of Ngige.
In Onitsha, markets were closed. Vehicular movement was limited. Voter turned out was huge. At the Bromi Hospital area, with a cluster of polling units, accreditation of voters was smooth, but it was not without complaints about names missing from the electoral register.
The Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mr. Tony Nwoye, could not find his name in the voters’ register at his Nsugbe Central School polling centre.
In Agulu, Obi’s home town, accreditation of voters went on till about 1pm.
Authorities of the Nigeria Police said over 28, 000 police officers were drafted to Anambra State to maintain peace during the voting, with 120 officers drafted to each of the local government areas. The security situation was generally calm, except for few cases of violation of the restriction on movement.
Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, who had come to observe the poll, was restricted to his hotel, Finotel Hotel, in Awka.
The Department of the State Security officials, who enforced the restriction, said they were acting on orders from above. An African Independent Television reporter, Obiora Iloh, had his phone seized as the operatives tried to stop his interview with el-Rufai.
Meanwhile, INEC has refuted the rumour that it had disqualified Obiano based on allegations of double registration. Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu, told THISDAY that the powers of disqualification lie with the court and not the commission.
Source: Thisday
