By Cajetan Mmuta,
The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) on Tuesday failed in its promise to deploy electoral materials to six communities in Ihiala local government area of Anambra state during the Supplementary election held in the area.
This was due to security challenges posed by activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the area.
Deputy Commissioner of police in charge of operations in Anambra state police command, DCP Remi Adeoye told newsmen at the Mary De Queen voting centre, Uzoakwa Ward 3, that during security mapping in preparations ahead of the poll it was found out that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) and, Eastern Security Network, (ESN) have built their camps in the communities, and, that virtually all the residents have deserted the areas.
Adeoye said that elections were going on “greatly peaceful in not less than 15 out of the 20 wards in Ihiala local government, and, we are confident that the results of the election in these areas are enough to enable the INEC to conclude the governorship election, and, declare a winner”.
The communities where the commission could not deploy materials to as confirmed by the police operations boss include Azia, Osumuoghu, Mbosi, Ubuluisiuzo, Lilu and Isseke.
DCP Adeoye explained that there were other communities in the local government where the hoodlums initially took over, but, that the command has recovered them.
“We deliberately do not want to deploy force, we rather deployed diplomacy in other not to scare residents of the local government from coming out to vote in this election, but, I can assure you that after this election, we are going to flush out the hoodlums, and, recover the communities for the residents. Anambra people are peaceful, and, they want their state to be peaceful”.
Apart from the non-deployment of electoral materials to the six communities, voters’ accreditation started late in virtually all the polling units.
As of 12. 58pm, electoral officers were still moving out from Ihiala local government headquarters to the various polling units in the area.
A polling officer at Polling unit 004 Odoata Central school, Uzoakwa ward 19, Arolahun Jeremiah said they were still setting up tables to start accreditation because “our vehicle just dropped us now because they have to drop others before dropping us”..
An agent of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, Jude Onuchukwu lamented that several voters had waited since 9 am, and, that many of them left because some complained that they were hungry, while some left disenchanted.
Also, an agent of the PDP, and former aspirant for the governorship election, Chief Ugochukwu Okeke attributed the late commencement of the poll to pressure on the INEC.
He said, “Ihiala has become the cynosure of all eyes because the election has become what will determine who will become the eventual winner of the governorship election “.
Several voters including aged men and mothers at about 11:55 am were at Community Primary School, Umuohi-Okija, polling units 009 and 013 waiting for electoral officers.
One of the registered voters, Prof. Dennis Abajue lamented the absence of INEC staff to conduct the poll.
“We heard in the news that this election will commence at 10 am and end at 4 pm. Many of us have been here since 9 am, but, till now we have not seen any INEC official or security person. This is how they treated us last Saturday. We were here, but, nobody came to conduct the election for us.”
“We have decided to remain here until the end of the voting period at 4 pm, because, we want to vote for the person we want to be our governor “.
At about 12. 58pm, an electoral officer in polling unit 011 at Holy Ghost Juniorate, Amamu ward 1, Mary Tijiani said only six voters have been accredited.
Agents of the Labour Party, LP, Jonny Mbanugo, his APGA, and, PDP counterparts, Ugochukwu Asoegbu and Igboaka Ethelbert respectively expressed optimism that the poll would be conducted without any hitches, especially malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voting Accreditation Systems (BVASs). They, however, complained that the exercise started late.
Ihiala supplementary poll witness delay of election materials, personnel
However, there was heavy deployment of security personnel, including police, soldiers, operatives of the NSCDC, Immigration Service, etc, and, the environment in virtually all the polling centres visited was peaceful.
A team of INEC accredited observers, including International Leadership Initiative, Citizen’s Right for Peace and Non- Violence Initiative and Global Hope and Justice for the Less Privileged had commended the efforts of INEC in not only making adequate arrangements for smooth conduct of the Anambra governorship poll but, also for making sure that the registered voters were not disenfranchised.
A trustee of Intercontinental Leadership Initiative, Prince Stafford Bisong, and, the executive director, Organisation of Justice for Equity Sustenance, Mr Tunde Bafunsho, had complained that several electoral malpractices which include vote buying, ballot box snatching, intimidation by electoral officers in collaboration with political thugs which characterised the governorship election last Saturday.
