- Fixes Date For Supplementary Poll In Ihiala LGA
- APGA’s Soludo — 103,946 votes
PDP’s Ozigbo — 51,322 votes
APC’s Uba — 42,942 votes
YPP’s Ubah — 20,917 Votes
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Anambra governorship election inconclusive as it suspended a further declaration of election results pending the outcome of a supplementary election in Ihiala local government area of the state.
The Returning Officer for the election, Professor Florence Obi, made this declaration at the INEC head office in Awka, Anambra state capital, early Monday.
She said the supplementary election in Ihiala will hold on Tuesday, 9th November, 2021 as she hinged the decision on the disruption of election process due to security reasons in the LGA.
Obi further explained that it is imperative under the constitution to hold election in the outstanding area of Ihiala LGA before the election can be concluded with a candidate returned.
Out of the 20 LGAs officially declared, Professor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has secured the highest vote cast with a total of 103,946 votes in the exercise, winning in 18 LGAs.
Soludo was also declared winner of the controversial governorship election in Orumba North. During the collation, the collation officer in Orumba North, Dr Godwin Otu, alleged that his electoral officer connived with thugs to make him sign the result sheet for the election under duress.
Following the allegations, Obi constituted a panel, headed by Dr Otiong, chairman of Academic Staff Union of University in University of Calabar to look into the matter. The panel after a short period resolved that election held in the local government, adding that the allegations were unfounded.
From the results announced so far, Mr Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second with 51,322 votes while Senator Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC) came with 42,942 votes.
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) came fourth with 20,917 votes.
- Results as things currently stand before collation of results was suspended
With Ihiala LGA having 148,407 registered voters, the Returning Officer explained that there is a need for supplementary election in the 326 polling units where election didn’t hold before a winner can be declared.
In her words: “This further underscores the importance of conducting election in Ihiala local government area so that shall be covering all the local government areas to make a declaration.
“Second, section 26 of the electoral act envisages the postponement of an election when there is a cogent and verifiable reason to do so especially threat of breach of the law. One major reason for not deploying for election in Ihiala local government area on Saturday, 6th November is due to security threats which led to staffing and transportation constraint, among others.
“Finally, clause 47 of the revised regulations and guidelines to the conduct of election provides that supplementary election shall be conducted when the commission due to logistical challenges is unable to deploy on election day. Giving the foregoing, it becomes imperative to bring Ihiala local government area at par with other 20 local government areas in this election before we can make a valid declaration or take any further action based on the extant law.
“Therefore, I Professor Florence Obi in my capacity as Returning Officer for this election thereby announce the suspension of the process of collation of results and declaration of the winner until a supplementary election is held in the 326 polling units in Ihiala local government area of the state. I have conferred with the commission responsible for fixing the date of the election and the commission has decided that the supplementary election will take place on Tuesday 9th November 2021, therefore, the collation of results shall continue thereafter.”
