By Cajetan Mmuta
Candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is leading in the results collated and released so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from most of the local government areas during November 6, 2021 Governorship election in Anambra state.
At the moment the game is as the results are being shunned out and they arrive at the INEC headquarters in Awka the state capital.
Although, results of some local government areas where the election did not hold on the commencement of the exercise across the state on November 6 are still being awaited as at the time of this result following the extension of the election to Sunday.
It would be recalled that there were hitches due to technical challenges posed by malfunctioned BImodal Machines and other problems that arose due to the late arrival of electoral materials and violence as well as other complaints during the exercise in some local government areas.
However, available results declared indicated that Prof Soludo of the ruling APGA has won in about 11 out of 21 local government areas of the state and with a wide margin to beat his close rivals of the APC’s Senator Andy Uba, Chief Valentine Ozigbo of the PDP and that of YPP’s Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Uba as well as Chief Obiora Okonkwo of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Results of the extended election from ten local government areas of the state are still being expected by the INEC.
The extension of the voting time and day for the election according to the INE was to accord those who ordinarily would have been denied the opportunity to vote due to the observed hitches so that they could exercise Civic responsibility.
However, the results announced by the Local Government Collation Officers indicated that the APGA candidate Prof Soludo is nearing the Agu Awka Government House as the atmosphere seemed charged with jubilation and fun fare for leaders and members of the ruling party.
So far, APGA had swept polls in the election conducted in Awka South with 12, 891 votes, APC 2595 votes, PDP- 5498 votes, and YPP – 919 votes.
In Oyi LGA: APC – 2830 votes, APGA -6, 133 votes, PDP -2484, YPP- 900, and ZLP – 80 votes.
From the votes cast in Ayamelum local government area, APC polled 2409 votes, APGA -3424 votes, PDP- 2, 804 votes, YPP -407 votes, and ZLP- 296 Votes.
At Anaocha LGA, the APC -2085 votes, APGA- 6911 votes, PDP- 5108 Votes, and YPP- 868 votes.
In Anambra East LGA; APC -2034, APGA-9746, PDP- 1380, and YPP -559.
From Idemili South LGA: APC – 1039, APGA-2312, PDP- 2016, and YPP – 752 votes.
For Dunukofia LGA: APC polled 1991 votes, APGA scored 4, 124 votes, PDP -1680 Votes, YPP -1360, and ZLP -36 votes.
In Nnewi North LGA: APC – 1278, APGA-3369, PDP-1511, YPP- 6485.
In Njikoka LGA: APC -3216, APGA -8803, PDP- 3409, YPP- 924, and ZLP- 81.
Onitsha South LGA: APC -2050, APGA- 4281, PDP -2253, YPP -271, and ZLP – 37.
In Onitsha North LGA: APC -3909, APGA -5587, PDP – 3781, and YPP – 682.
Reports that emanated from Oba (1) and Oba (2) in Idemili South local government area indicated that there was no election in the areas because an INEC ad-hoc staff (SPO) absconded with 41 out of 42 result sheets and there was also confusion as gunshots rented the air in Oba (1) during the Collation of election results there.
There were also reports of a floodgate of petitions by Aggrieved stakeholders over the hitches that trailed the conduct of Saturday’s election.
Concerned stakeholders have continued the voters for peaceful and violent free process and have called on the INEC for more improvement in their technology to avoid the various complaints and other challenges facing it.
