Guber Polls : APGA nat’l chairman, others speak on conduct of election in Anambra by INEC

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitshs

The National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Sly Ezeokenwa, Onitsha South Local government Area Mayor. Emeka Orji and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Oil and Gas, Promise Egbeji, have commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the presumed peaceful conduct of the gubernatorial election in the state.

Ezeokenwa who made the commendation shortly after casting his vote at Fegge ward 4, stated that there was no ugly report recorded so far.

“You can observe this is immaculate Heart Parish and it houses I think six polling units, including my own polling unit, 007, Fegge ward 4, Onitsha South Local Government. What I have done was to perform my civic responsibility which was to cast my vote and I can attest to that.

” I am one of those that have not failed to express my obligation for tremendous improvement that has been recorded under independent National Electoral Commission especially in office cycle of election in Anambra state.

“The process has been very smooth except for the few polling units that have been reported of BIVAS malfunctioning which I trust the Commission, I know they have deployed competent experts, called the registration area technicians to rectify any issue that have arisen from the malfunctioning of the BIVAS and I trust that they are going to do that.

“But there are few polling units that have reported of missing result sheets which the reporters came and the presiding officers of those units probably left the result sheet and our very competent agents told them that without result sheet. 

“There will be no voting and they have brought result sheets in those polling units. So far, so good, I commend all the agents of APGA across the whole polling units in Anambra State for living up to expectations

“We too gave them training on basic requirements and what is needed of them to perform their civic duty to APGA and I can tell you that they have given that, I commend them, they are very resilient, they are very watchful.

“We have very confident with what we have done, we don’t have any issue at all, all we want, all we demand is free, fair and credible elections, nothing more.

“At the end of the day, people will come out and say that INEC has once again demonstrated capacity, commitment enthrone on rebuilding democracy in Nigeria,” he stated.

On the voting apathy witnessed during his voting, he said, “If you recall, our candidate, Chukwuma Soludo tried as much as possible to see how he can make voters to come out, he even went as far as making certain promises to encourage people to turn out and people decided to twist a very harmless, very innocuous promise that the governor made, and that promise was simple, to drive and increase voter turn out.

“Over the years, Anambra State has witnessed not less than 20 per cent rate in every election and if you go round, it is still the same thing, I have not seen that number of turn out that will turn out and tilt the skill to show that people are going to witness more than 20 per cent.

“What I have witnessed so far, voters are coming out, they are queing up, they are comporting themselves, behaving in orderly manner but still the problem remains low voter turn out.

“This is just past 11am but I believe before the day runs down more and more voters, will come, there is increased activities which show that people are coming out, those who voted are equally seated to monitor the process, what is happening here is quite commendable.

On his expectations he said “Our expectation is nothing less than 99 per cent victory, we have shown capacity, shown commitment to people, we have shown we left no one behind, and there is no doubt when you work for the people, people will reward you”.

The Mayor of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Emeka Orji after voting in his polling unit 002, at Agai Primary School Fegge, Onitsha South, described the process as free, fair, credible and transparent.

He commended Ndi Onitsha South who came out at that time to exercise their franchise and advised those who are  yet to come out and vote to do so as it is their civic responsibility.

 He also commended the INEC, party agents for the orderly manner they conducted the exercise.

On his expectations, he said”So far, so good, Ndi Anambra are out to thank the governor for his good governance in the state, we will have it”.

A stakeholder in the area, Promise Egbeji, who is the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Admin Foundation and Admin Oil and Gas in his contribution stated that, “Since 8 O’Clock till now everything is free and fair, everywhere is calm, no brutality.

“I am even surprise that many people are not here but I know people are still coming, may be they are waiting around 11, 12 o’clock, but people will still come out, they were well sensitized to come out and vote because as they were saying, whether they voted or not, the winner will emerge, but we assure them that their votes will count,” he disclosed.

On his expectations, he said “It is going to be a great win because everybody is singing APGA because of what Governor Charles Soludo has done.

“My advice to voters is to remain calm and resolute and also not to indulge in anything brutality and I know that everything will end well,” he assured.

The President General, Woliwo Community, one of the communities in Fegge, Ifeanyi Onwuegbuchunam while speaking with newsmen described the election as peaceful but lamented that their earlier encounter was their non ability to start voting by 8 0’clock as a result of lack of result sheet at the polling units.

He stated that with the declaration of lack of result sheet, there was no voting until the intervention of the Local Government Mayor, and the issue was resolved and voting commenced.

As at the time of filling this report, polling units, 007, 008 immaculate Heart, 001,002, 013, 014,Agai Primary School, 007, 008, Urban Boys Secondary School and all others in St Monica’s, (all in Onitsha South ) were peaceful and the exercise went on fine.