INEC declares Anambra governorship election inconclusive

By Our Correspondent

The state Returning Officer for the election, Florence Obi, the vice-chancellor of University of Calabar, who made the declaration in the early hours of Monday, around 12:20 a.m., said this was because there was no election in Ihiala Local Government Area which has over 148,000 registered voters.

Charles Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), scored a total of 103,946 votes and won the election in 18 out of the 21 local government areas of the state.

His closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party scored 51,322 and won in only one local government area.

“Based on constitutional provision and consideration of the Electoral Act as well as the revised regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections issued by the commission, supplementary election is indicated for Ihiala Local Government Area,” the state returning officer, Mrs Obi said.

She said the constitution provides for a candidate to secure both the highest number of votes cast and 25 per cent of votes cast in at least two-third of the local government areas of the state to declare the winner.

“Therefore, it is important to complete the election in Ihiala to make this determination,” she said.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Anambra State in the face of very poor outing has called for cancellation of the Saturday’s governorship election

The party with it’s touch bearer Senator Andy Uba made the call on Sunday, as the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)’s candidate, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles Soludo is costing to victory.

The statement which was signed by the State Chapter of the party, Chief Basil Ejidike alkeged that the exercise was fraught with manipulation by the State governor, Mr. Willie Obiano.

The call was being made while collation of results by officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) is still ongoing

The Statement reads, “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.

“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.”

As at the time of the statement which was issued in Awka, 15 Local Governments results had been declared with APGA winning 14.