By Cajetan Mmuta
Reports of a heightened state of insecurity following the presence of armed thugs and militant groups on Saturday forced National electoral officers of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to suddenly postpone the planned conduct of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Anambra North Senatorial district primary election in the state.
This is as the former APGA National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh on Saturday lost to Hon. Dozie Nwankwo in the primaries for Anambra Central Senatorial district for the 2023 elections.
Nwankwo defeated his opponent Chief Victor Umeh in a keenly contested senatorial primary exercise held at the Professor Dora Akunyili Women Development Center in Awka, the state capital.
According to the outcome of the Anambra Central Senatorial primary election as announced by the Election Returning Officer, Barrister Elizabeth Nwokocha, Hon. Dozie Nwankwo polled a total of 162 votes to emerge the winner, Chief Victor Umeh scored 151 votes while Okagbue Uzuegbunam scored ten votes respectively.
Investigations revealed that hundreds of heavily armed thugs loyal to one of the contestants in the Senatorial race were said to have blocked the Aguleri roundabout in Anambra East local government area.
The hoodlums were also said to have invaded Otuocha the venue of the senatorial primary exercise in the council area.
The major contenders for the Anambra North Senatorial seat are Chief Primus Odili, a former Chief of Staff (COS) to Willie Obiano, former First Lady of the state Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano and Hon. Sam Onwuteaka.
It was learned that the thugs allegedly imported from neighboring towns had at about 7;30 am on Saturday besieged the Otuocha roundabout to disrupt the process.
Delegates who arrived at the venue for the primary election could not go into the venue of the exercise.
Members of the APGA National Assembly Electoral Committee charged with the responsibility of conducting the primary election were still in Awka Anambra state capital when information got to them that the security situation in the area has worsened.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Otuocja station had deployed officers and men to major flash points in the area who engaged with the hoodlums.
Several arms, matches, and clubs were recovered in the process.
The Chairman of the APGA National Committee for the primary election, Alhaji Carvor collaborated with the Divisional Police Officer that the venue would not be conducive for the election.
He said for the sake of peace the primary election would not hold in Otuocha as slated.
At the time of this report, it was speculated that the election will likely take place next week Tuesday after Monday’s sit-at-home.
Concerned APGA members and delegates for the primary election in reaction urged the National Chairman of the party Chief Victor Oye not to allow enemies of the party from the opposition parties to disrupt the peace and harmony in the party.
They accused the opposition parties in the state of plotting to ensure that APGA does not field any candidate in the coming general election.
A new date and venue for the primary election are expected.
Security has been beefed up in the tense even as it is expected that the rescheduled primary may take place in Awka for security reasons.
However, delegates drawn from the seven local government areas of the Anambra Central Senatorial zone voted peacefully during the primaries.
