ABUJA — Amidst mutual accusations of fraud from the different political parties involved in the inconclusive Anambra State gubernatorial election of last weekend, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is today set to announce the date for the supplementary gubernatorial election.

Yesterday, INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega and other senior officers of the commission debriefed officials that were sent to conduct the election. Following the debriefing the commission is expected to take a decision on the date for the supplementary election.
Ngige,Obiano,Ubah and Nwoye

Ngige,Obiano,Ubah and Nwoye

Candidates and parties that were involved in the election were, yesterday, at daggers drawn on the legality of another election.

The All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s candidate, Comrade Tony Nwoye were united yesterday in calling for a full cancellation of the election done so far. The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, whose candidate Willi Obiano is ahead in the declared results, has meanwhile insisted that the election so far conducted should not be cancelled.

APGA National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh while asserting that the election of last weekend was devoid of irregularities told Vanguard that APGA was not afraid of partaking in a fresh election.

Meanwhile, the former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Kalu has blamed the confusion emanating from the election in Anambra State to lack of preparation by the election management body.

The commission yesterday, held a crucial meeting during which it evaluated its performance in the botched polls, an INEC bulletin released yesterday disclosed.

Should the date of the supplementary election be announced today, it is expected that the make-up polls would hold in 210 Polling Units where the election was cancelled due to irregularities.

The affected local government areas and the number of affected polling units are as follows: Idemili North, 160; Ayamelum, two; Anambra East, three; Anambra West, six; Anaocha, one; Awka North, two and Aguata, one.

Others include Awka South, one; Ekwusigo, three; Idemili South, one; Ihiala, South, two; Onitsha North, one; Onitaha South, 17; Orumba North, four and Oyi, four.

Also, 113,113 registered voters are to take part in the supplementary election.

Meanwhile, the APC yesterday insisted on the total cancellation of the polls as it pushed further its protest against the election with the call for the prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the State, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu.

APC in a letter written to INEC chairman, Prof. Jega demanded that INEC discontinue all arrangements for the conduct of the supplementary election in the state as it insisted that no candidate should be declared as winner until a fresh election is held.

The party’s leadership also threatened to go to court if INEC failed to heed its advice and proceed to conduct the supplementary election.

In the letter made available to journalists in Abuja yesterday, the party said: “Our demand is predicated on serious irregularities and non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended which characterised the conduct of the said election.”

The APC leaders cited their reasons for making their demands to include INEC’s alleged presentation of three different voters register to representatives of political parties on October 16, November 13 and November 16.

Akande also gave the example of the PDP governorship candidate in the election, Mr. Tony Nwoye whose name was contained in the first two registers but was missing in the last one which was presented on election day, describing the poll as tainted.

Other irregularities complained against included lack of result sheets and non-transparent collation of results at collation centres.

They also said that they discovered poor distribution of election materials; inadequate recruitment and poor training of INEC’s ad-hoc staff as well as recruitment of electoral officials including staff and students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University on the day of the election.
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APC, Please relocate your Secretariat to INEC office in Abuja and probably choose someone from your party to replace Professor Jega so that Nigerians will have peace. We are tired the same press releases everyday. One thing is very clear APC will not use intimidation to win elections where they don’ t have strong hold. South East and South South is not your strong ur hold for now until your party sell itself as good prodcut to purchase/buy. It is as simple as that. May be with time you can make some inroad to those region if you work hard, deal on issues and sell your manifestos if you have any. All these period your party wasted to woo the Rebel Governors could have been used to campaign and sell yourself. To be frank with you your impact have not been felt in SS/SE. If you continue in this way you may loose more supporters and 2015 will be disaster for APC.As for me I do not have faith in all the political parties in Nigeria and wish that the National conference will be a new beginning to address the ills of this country and if the ills refused to die, we will help to bury it alive so that reincarnation of new country will emerge in various form and sizes

In Osun state ,10 out of 30 local governments were voided but INEC declared them winner,In Anambra state only 64 pooling units were voided and resheduled the same people that benefited from outright voids of votes are calling for fresh election in my state because their son ALhaji Chris MUSA Ngige did not win..haba can we be fair ?…Any step they want,we are ready for the remnants of Tinubu and companies.

Majorities of Igbo don't have time for election, but hustle things.
The total number of registered voters in the state are not even up to (one-tenth) of Onitsha population.(a single local gov.).
Even in our house, with 25 flats with more than 75 people above 18yrs, didn't cast a vote.
I don't even think anyone one in our street casted a vote.
Comparision.
A polling unit was meant for more than 5000 houses in Onitsha, because where I live, I could hardly find a polling unit.
Whereas, when I was in Ekiti state in 2010 during the governors' election, I saw four polling unit in less than 300 houses.