ANAMBRA DECIDES: Obiano leads governorship race

The ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) took an early lead in the Anambra gubernatorial election held yesterday but early results today show incumbent Governor Willie Obiano and his APGA clinching victory in most of the polling units which results have been announced since voting closed Saturday evening.

With the All Progressives Congress (APC) chasing by some margin and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following closely behind.

The election had proceeded without catastrophic hitches that marred previous elections, earning the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies the praise of most of the candidates and their parties.

Residents of the state turned out in large numbers in most of the polling units to cast their votes, disregarding calls and threats by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IBOP) for people to boycott the elections.

There had been palpable tension and apprehension in the state ahead of the elections, following series of threat statements by the pro-Biafra group.

However, buoyant crowds trooped quite early to the polling stations, voted and stayed to ensure that their votes were counted. Most of them waited until results were announced at their polling units before they left.

However, the election was not entirely without drama as Governor Obiano came under fire from election observers and civil society groups for addressing the electorate at the Eri Primary School, Unit 004, Otuocha 1, Aguleri, Anambra East, after he cast his votes at 10am Saturday.

The governor was said to have gone to the unit with a public address system and addressed the  electorate in what activists said was a clear violation of the electoral laws.

Abiola Akiyode of the Transition Monitoring Group, condemned the governor’s action describing it as a “temptation” the governor should have avoided.

“The most worrisome aspect (of this election) is that the governor came with a microphone to address the people. I think it is a sort of campaign. Since I have been observing, I have never seen any governor go to that extent to talk to people on election day. I think he should have avoided the temptation even if people are pushing him to do something”, she said.

However, while addressing journalists, the governor expressed confidence in the process and his party’s ability to carry the day by a landslide.

Obiano who voted at about 9.57am after accreditation, complained that the card reader could not capture his fingerprints, but said he was able to vote eventually as his voter card was verified by the device.

He also expressed satisfaction at the large turnout of voters, but noted that there were cases of security lapses in few areas, assuring that the security agencies were on top the situation. 

In areas where Daily Trust correspondents monitored the polls, such as Umudim Ward II  in Umudim Central School,  Nnewi North, APGA got 260 while APC had 80. Also, at Uzoanunu Ward II in Anaocha Local Government, APGA scored 68 and APC received 8 votes. APGA also swept the votes in most polling centres at Aguleri, Governor Willie Obiano’s stronghold.

However, the APC was in early lead in such places as Alor, Senator Chris Ngige’s home, Nsugbe - the home of APC’s governorship candidate, Dr Tony Nwoye  and Ukpo, the hometown of Prince Arthur Eze, who is believed to have funded Nwoye’s campaign.

At Umudim Central School, Nnewi North, the polling unit where the family of the late Biafran leader and founder of APGA, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu voted, there was some expectation of drama following the defection of the late strongman’s son, Emeka Ojukwu Jr, from APGA to the APC, with the façade of the Ojukwu family residence plastered with the campaign poster of APC’s Victor Nwoye with Ojukwu’s picture inserted.

However the last laugh belonged to Mrs, Bianca Ojukwu, widow of the late APGA chieftain, who expressed joy over APGA’s triumph at the poling unit when the party returned with 261 votes as opposed to the APC’s 98 and the PDP’s 80.

But the APC got one over the ruling party at Ekwueme Hall polling units of Ukpo, Dunukofia LGA, home of Prince Arthur Eze, sponsor of the APC candidate where the party secured 409 votes to APGA’s 102 and PDP’s 15.

 Minister for Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, also secured his polling unit for the APC in Nkwoide ward 1 where the part scored 152 votes to APGA’s 68 and PDP’s 22.

Specifically, at Nkwo Ide Public Square I polling centre at Alor, Idemili North Local Government, APC scored 35 while APGA had 12 votes. APC also received 104 votes while APGA got 35 at Ukpo Ekwueme Hall (I) in Dunukofia Local Government Area.

But while Governor Obiano expressed satisfaction on the peaceful conduct of the election and enjoined his supporters to come out en masse to vote, Dr Nwoye complained that his agents were arrested at some polling booths.

Former National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, however, appealed to the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to make sure that the results of the poll which the people “witnessed in the day time will also be the same result the INEC should release in the night.” 

Most of the polling units visited by our correspondents recorded large turnout of voters, except in few places.

Daily Trust