Anambra: INEC Disappoints Voters In Rescheduled Election, As APC Pulls Out. Registered voters in Obosi, North Idemili Local Government Area have gotten increasingly frustrated by INECs inconsistencies and inadequacies, after the electoral body failed to bring election materials to several polling units. As at 10:30 a.m. accreditation was yet to begin. At Umuota Primary School, Obosi, voters threatened to boycott the election after only two booths of the four polling units were brought to the station. Ifeanyi Okafor, a registered voter at Obosi said the delay tactics was a ploy by INEC to rig the election. “INEC does not want us to vote because they want to rig this election and for this reason we want to boycott the election,” he said. Linda Njirinze, a presiding officer at Obosi Central School said they have been given directive by INEC not to commence election until all polling booths and election materials arrive. “I preside over unit 015 but I cannot begin accreditation until polling booths 014 and 039 arrive because that is the directive,” she said. At Obosi Town Hall where ballot boxes were carted away yesterday accreditation has begun amidst heavy security presence. But the voters are not happy with the influx of security men at the polling unit. “They are scaring us and chasing voters away. All the guns and armoured tanks should be deployed to the North because this election is not a war,” Mrs Grace said. Election hiccups were experienced in other parts of Idemili North as well. Victoria Obinwa, Party Agent for APGA believes the election has been free and fair despite the glitches. She reckons that people should not be apprehensive of the army and policemen because they are trying to ensure peace and order. Glibe Iweka, All Progressives Congress, party agent said that APC voters are fed up with INEC tactics. “They are trying to frustrate us by delaying election materials and it is getting to our voters who want to boycott the election,” he said. He noted that the election was not free and fair but peaceful. “Yesterday ballot boxes did not arrive on time and it’s repeating itself today. This cannot be a free and fair election.” Meanwhile, The All Progressives Congress (APC) has pulled out of the re-run election rescheduled to hold in 65 polling units today. The candidate of the party in the election, Dr Chris Ngige made the disclosure in a world press conference addressed in Awka on Sunday saying the election is a caricature by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliberately disenfranchise the supporters of the party. Ngige frowned at the haste at which INEC fixed the re-run election on a Sunday when people are expected to fulfil their religious obligations and preparations for the re-run not convincing that it will be credible. He also spoke generally about the election where he alleged that the exercise was marred by several electoral malpractices ranging from withdrawal of the original voters register, non-provision of electoral materials to his stronghold of Idemili North and South as well as Akwa South and deliberate disenfranchisement of his supporters. The APC had yesterday 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 saying who hijacked the ballot papers and why. The party therefore calls on INEC to extend the areas in which the re-run election will be conducted. INEC had yesterday rescheduled the election in 65 polling units in Obosi, Idemili local govt. The commission said in a statement in Awka that the election would hold in the area on Sunday. “Due to serious logistics and related challenges, the INEC wishes to inform all political parties, the electorate and the general public that it has rescheduled the election for Obosi Registration Area of Idemili North Local government Area. “The election in the ward will now take place tomorrow, Sunday, 17th November, 2013 in all the 65 polling units,’’ the statement signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra state, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, said.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 13:08:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015