Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the All Progressives Grand Alliance’s candidate in the Anambra State Governorship poll, is ahead of the other contenders as the Independent National Electoral Commission continues to post results from yesterday’s poll in the state.
Sunday PUNCH says that as of press time, INEC has uploaded more than 99 percent of the election results to its Results Viewing Portal. This was in the face of numerous claims of vote-buying and other election violations.
Even though election materials arrived early at several polling places and more people picked up their Permanent Voter Cards before the election, voter turnout was nevertheless low across the state.
A first look at the election results from the voting units showed that the APGA candidate was ahead in his stronghold areas, namely Aguata LGA in Anambra South Senatorial District and some sections of Anambra Central Senatorial District.
Anambra State contains 21 LGAs, which are split into three groups: North, Central, and South.
INEC says that 2,802,790 registered voters were able to vote in the poll. This includes 140,370 new voters who registered across 326 wards.
The election took place in 5,718 polling places, even though two of the projected 5,720 did not have any registered voters. Sixteen political parties ran candidates, two of them were women.
Soludo and Ukachukwu win, although LP loses a polling unit.
Soludo won the Umuezeadigo Street Polling Unit 002 in Isuofia, Oguata LGA.
He got 417 votes, while Nicholas Ukachukwu, the candidate for the All Progressives Congress, earned four votes.
The candidate from the APC also won his polling unit.
Ukachukwu cast his vote at Polling Unit 12, Ward 2, Umudiala village in Osumenyi, Nnewi South LGA.
In booth 1, he got 108 votes, while APGA only got four. In booth 2, APC got 126 votes while APGA got six.
Dr. George Moghalu, the Labour Party candidate, lost his polling unit, nonetheless.
The LP candidate got 22 votes, which put them in second place behind Soludo, who got 57 votes.
APGA is in the lead right now.
As of 10 p.m. yesterday, INEC had put 99.14 percent of the election results on its IReV platform.
A look at results from a number of LGAs showed that APGA was ahead in most of the polling units that have been uploaded thus far, while Ukachukwu, the APC candidate, was behind.
In Ekwusigo LGA, both parties won in at least 17 voting units in three wards.
APGA got 212 votes at the Obi Nza Square Polling Unit, and APC earned 13. APGA got 169 votes to APC’s 12 in Ezeokpo Central School I, and 231 votes to APC’s 18 in Nza Central School II. APGA got 1,548 votes in the 17 polling units, while APC got 599.
In Njikoka LGA, APGA got 3,452 votes over three wards, while APC got 666. This was a similar trend.
In Aguata LGA, APGA won most of the polling places in the wards of Umuchu II, Uga I, Ikenga, Isuofia, and Oraeri. The party got 165 votes at Ozalla/Akukwa PU, 285 at Umugama Hall, and 302 at Ihuowele Hall. Most units only got between 5 and 30 votes for the APC.
In Ogbaru LGA (Ward 16), APGA kept going strong, getting 61 votes at Okpoko IV, 103 at Umuobom Hall II, and 144 at Umuobom Hall VIII. In contrast, APC only got 6, 4, and 9 votes, respectively.
There was a similar pattern in the Onitsha North and South LGAs. APGA got 1,548 votes in three wards in Onitsha South, while APC got 599. In Onitsha North, APGA got 103 votes in Inland Town IV and 157 at Inland Town V. APC only got 13 and 27 votes, respectively.
At Umuokweanya Hall PU and Eke Olise Central School PU, Oyi LGA also showed APGA in the lead with 190 and 135 votes, respectively. APC came in second with 42 and 48 votes.
APGA got 35 votes at Akojo Village Square III and 45 votes at F/S Village Square II in Ayamelum LGA. APC got 8 and 30 votes, respectively.
In Orumba South LGA, APGA won 547 votes in Umuchukwu Ward 09, 532 in Ogbunka II, and 707 in Nawfija Ward 08. APC only got 87, 74, and 123 votes in those same wards.
Governor Soludo of the APGA party got 2,419 votes in Anaocha LGA, whereas Nicholas Ukachukwu of the APC party got 724 votes from the three wards that had been uploaded by the time this article was written.
Overall, early returns from all around the state show that there is a clear two-horse contest between APGA and APC, with APGA staying ahead by a significant margin.
Vote-buying: Candidates trade blows, EFCC catches suspects
Mr. Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State and leader of the Labour Party, said that vote-buying was a big problem during the election.
Obi remarked that democracy was “deteriorating” in Nigeria when he voted at Polling Unit 019, Umudim Akasi, Agulu 2, Ward 8, at 11:46 a.m.
He said, “Buying votes costs between N20,000 and N30,000.” People who are hurt by lousy government are the ones who keep it going. What will happen to a young man if he sells his vote for N30,000? You are selling your future by not going to school, getting a job, or going to the hospital.
Governor Soludo voted at his polling place in Isuofia around 1:30 p.m. He was sure that he would win all 21 LGAs if everything went well.
He remarked, “Reports from all over the state say that the election went smoothly and peacefully.” We are sure that we will win by a lot.
Soludo, on the other hand, said that people in Nnewi South were paid N15,000 each to vote for him.
“It doesn’t matter to us.” He remarked, “We are sure that with one man, one vote, we will win by a landslide.”
Paul Chukwuma, the candidate for the Young Progressives Party, praised INEC and the police but said that local government chairmen were using thugs to scare voters.
He claimed, “In some LGAs, mayors went around with thugs and state-funded militias, scaring voters with the governor’s support.”
But Mr. Chris Aburime, Soludo’s spokesman, said the accusation was false.
“This isn’t true.” Governor Soludo and the APGA do not think that purchasing votes is right. He said, “One man, one vote” is our mentality.
Ukachukwu of the APC also said that there was “widespread vote-buying” and that his followers were being threatened.
He called the change a “dangerous norm” that hurts democracy.
Ukachukwu added, “Buying votes takes away people’s right to choose good leaders.”
Even yet, he was hopeful and said, “It is still possible to win.” I trust in God’s will and know that INEC is doing its best.
Moghalu, the Labour Party candidate, said that monetization has “weaponized poverty.”
He added that the voting procedure at Uruagu Ward 1 in Nnewi went rather well, but there was a lot of apathy.
“You can’t say it’s free and fair if you make money off of it,” he said. INEC needs to win back the public’s trust since people aren’t voting anymore, which means they don’t trust the system.
At the same time, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission detained three political party agents in different sections of the state for allegedly purchasing votes.
The EFCC’s Dele Oyewale revealed that Emeka Ilokasia, Nwachukwu Loretta, and Emuka Chuwudi were caught in Njikoka, Oyi, and Dunukofia LGAs, respectively.
He said that they will be charged when the investigation was over.
A councillor was slain, while a Corps member and an observer were hurt.
A councillor from the Owerre Ezukala village was shot and killed by gunmen in Orumba South LGA at about 1:30 p.m. while trying to vote.
People who saw it happen reported that security guards were close by but couldn’t stop the attackers.
Odogwu Odemenna, a community leader who confirmed the death, said that security was not good enough.
He stated, “The election was calm until this happened.”
As of the time of writing, the police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, had not answered calls or messages on the event.
There was also trouble in Ihiala when police reportedly shot tear gas canisters at the INEC secretariat, hurting a Corps member and a Yiaga Africa observer.
Witnesses reported that the officers, who were said to be drunk, started firing tear gas for no reason.
SP Ikenga, the police spokesperson, acknowledged the fight but said it was over, calling it a “rift between observers and ad hoc staff.”
Older voters, fun-loving teens
At Ezienwelu Polling Unit 001, Nimo Ward 2, Njikoka LGA, a number of older voters could not be certified because the BVAS could not recognize their faces.
Officials said it was because of changes in people’s faces, not problems with the network.
Ifeyinwa Okafor, a 76-year-old voter, said, “They told us our faces have changed, so they need to thumbprint us.”
Mrs. Elizabeth Onike, a 96-year-old woman, cried at Umudim Akasi Polling Unit 019, Agulu II, Anaocha LGA, after she was told she couldn’t vote because she didn’t have a valid voter card.
“I’ve always voted here,” she replied. I cast my vote in the last election. They are now telling me that my card is not valid. I wish I could vote for my future governor.
Pa Julius Nwafor, a 74-year-old businessman who is blind, came to Isuofia early with his daughter to vote.
He said, “As a Nigerian, I have to vote to make my conscience feel good.”
While voting was going on, some young people were playing football at Udeozo Primary School 3 in Awka 2 Ward 6, which is close to Polling Units 003, 017, and 018.
Chiosom Eneh, a resident, stated, “It happens every election.” Young people will constantly be playing football instead of voting.
Traders break the rules about movement
In Onitsha, vendors at the Relief Market broke the injunction to stop people from moving about in order to sell food and other things.
Even though there were police around, improvised stalls lined the street around 7 a.m.
Mrs. Grace Ezeh, who sells vegetables, remarked, “Elections may be important, but so is our livelihood.” Mrs. Ngozi Uche, another trader, said she came to get things before voting.
People in Awka, like Chisom Uzor, were observed buying food early in the morning “before going to vote.”
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