Anambra State governorship election ended in an anti-climax Monday morning as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared it inconclusive.
At exactly 6:10am, the Returning Officer, Prof James Epoke, who is also Vice-Chancellor, University of Calabar (UNICAL), declared that a supplementary election would be conducted at a date to be fixed by the electoral umpire.
The main reason for declaring the election inconclusive, according to Prof Epoke, is that, for a candidate to emerge as the winner, he must have scored not only the highest number of votes cast, but should also ganner 25 per cent in two-third of the local government areas in the state.
Apparently because of the large number of cancelled votes, which stood at 113,113, no candidate scored the required percentage.
Therefore, the commission had to examine the votes of the winner and the runner-up to determine if the difference is less than the cancelled figure.
Whereas, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Willie Obiano polled 174,710 votes to come first, the first runner-up, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Comrade Tony Nwoye polled 94,956 votes to place second.
Because the difference in the figures between the first two candidates, which is 79,754 is less than the cancelled votes, which 113,113, the commission could not declare anybody the winner.
A total of 1,763,751 voters were registered for the election, while 451,826 were accredited.
Total valid votes was 413,005, while total number of rejected votes was 16,544. Total votes cast was 429,549.
Out of the cancelled votes, 89,997 were from Idemili North Local Government Area alone, and additional 636 from two units in Idemili South.
According to figures released by INEC, APGA came first with 174,710 votes.
It was followed by PDP which scored 94,956 votes.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) came third with 92,300 votes, while Labour Party (LP) polled 37,446 votes.
A total of 23 candidates stood for the election.
The APGA won in 16 of the 21 local government areas; APC won in two, PDP won in two, while LP won one.
The announcement began at about 12.40am.
All the local government collation officers were professors or senior staff of UNICAL.
A date for the supplementary election will be fixed after the commission must have met, it was announced.
“The commission will arrange a supplementary election in those areas where election was cancelled,” the Prof Epoke said.
He added that all the parties that participated in last Saturday’s election will participate in the supplementary election.
In Aguata, APC scored 5,275 votes, APGA polled 10,180, PDP got 4,275 votes, while LP polled 1,129.
There were 24,883 accredited voters in Aguata, 23,452 votes were valid.
In Ayamelum, APC polled 1,827; APGA scored 9,121; PDP got 5,681 and LP (624). Total valid votes was 17,449.
In Anambra East, APC 1,418; APGA (15,300), PDP (5,579) and LP (511). Total valid votes cast was 23,315.
In Anambra West, APC scored 2,478; APGA (5,128), PDP (3966) and LP (321).
In Anaocha, APC polled 3,174, APGA (14,563), PDP (2,948) and LP (733). A ballot box was snatched at Unit 016, Obiamaka Primary School, it was reported.
In Awka North, APC scored 1,712 votes, APGA (5,385), PDP (3,943) and LP 474.
In Awka South, APC polled 6,596, APGA (9,206), PDP (5,689) and LP (1,648).
The PDP scored the highest number of votes in Dunukofia, followed by APGA (3,670), APC (3,522) and LP (1,236).
The APGA polled the highest number of votes in Ekwusigo (6,815), followed by PDP (4,426), APC (2,958) and LP (1,692).
In Idemilli North, APC scored the highest number of votes (7,135), followed by APGA (2,795), PDP (1,462) and LP (643).
The APC also led in Idemili North, where is scored 9,539 votes. APGA polled 2,899; PDP scored 3,786 while LP got 1,021.
In Ihiala, APC scored 4,069; APGA (10,067), PDP (5,517) and LP (1,854).
The APGA scored 10,753 votes in Njikoka. APC polled 4,585, PDP got 5,630 and LP scored 754.
In Nnewi North, LP led with 18,014 votes, followed by APGA (4,846), APC (3,076) and PDP (1,942).
In Nnewi South, APGA led with 8,145, followed by PDP (3,031), APC (2,676) and LP (2,214).
In Ogbaru, APGA polled 11,716. Others are: APC (7,687), PDP (6,114) and LP (95).
The APGA scored 10,842 votes in Onitsha North. Other results are: APC (7,616), PDP (4,947) and LP (776).
In Onitsha South, APGA led with 9,786 votes. Other results are: APC (7,094), PDP (3,520) and LP (716).
The APGA led in Orumba North, polling 9,161 votes, followed by PDP (4,567) and APC (3,343).
In Orumba South, APC scored 3,147. Other results are: APGA (6,338), PDP (4,003) and LP (1,265). In Oyi, PDP led with 9,123 votes, followed by APGA (6,994), APC (3,373) and LP (206).
[TheNation]
