Allegations that the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, will ship materials for the November 6, 2021 Anambra State governorship election, from Imo State, has been drawing flaks from various stakeholders from Anambra State.
Governor Willie Obiano yesterday, said his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the people of the state, will reject the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use its facility in Owerri, the Imo State capital, for storage of non-sensitive materials meant for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.
INEC through its national chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had announced that the commission would use INEC office in the Imo State capital city to organize movement of non-sensitive materials for the Anambra governorship election, citing the destruction of INEC office in Anambra as its reason.
Obiano, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ifeatu Obiokoye, said INEC has to reverse its decision, or face strong resistance as, according to him, the idea was put in place to rig the polls in favour of a particular political party.
“Beyond the issue of storing INEC materials meant for Anambra election in APC state, Imo, there was a letter we sent out expressing our rejection of Owerri or any other APC state involving actively in the Anambra election. What informed the letter was the rumour that some ad-hoc staff and returning officers for the Anambra election are being recruited from the Imo State University. In the next few days, all the political parties taking part in the Anambra election, except APC, will sign the communiqué, which will be forwarded to INEC. The letter will state our decision that we, as people and all the political parties, except APC, will reject any ad-hoc staff recruited from Imo State, in particular, and generally, from any APC state.
Another group, the Ojiana People Congress, OPC, in a statement signed by its National President, Chief George Udedibia (KSM), said the move was insensitive.
According to him, “We are worried that a non stable state like Imo with all indices of a failed state with little or no security will be considered by INEC for such exercise. Ndi Anambra are fully aware that the INEC office in Awka had in the past hosted all the elections in the state.
Read full text of the Ojiana Peoples Congress statement …
“It has come to the notice of Ojiana People Congress (OPC) and ndi Anambra State that there are plans by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use their zonal office at Owerri, Imo state for the distribution of some materials for the governorship election in Anambra state.
Ndi Anambra rejects any attempt to distribute any materials associated with the coming Anambra State governorship election from Imo State because we see such arrangement as a practical way of disenfranchising many communities and thousands of valid voters in Anambra State. When will materials that left Owerri get to Nzam in Anambra West, Ugbenu, Oba Ofemmili in Awka North and many other riverine communities in Ogbaru, Ayamelum, Awka North, Anambra East and West?
Where is the assurance for the protection of these materials on transit knowing fully well that Imo state in the last one year has been a threatre of unrest.
We are worried that a non stable state like Imo with all indices of a failed state with little or no security will be considered by INEC for such exercise. Ndi Anambra are fully aware that the INEC office in Awka had in the past hosted all the elections in the state. This sudden romance by INEC with Imo state is suspicious, unhealthy, unacceptable and is viewed as a plot to shortchange and sabotage the good people of Anambra State and her electoral process.
The ‘minor’ security breach at INEC office at Awka, Anambra state some months ago cannot be a reason by INEC to operate from another state. A more serious INEC knowing fully well that election will take place in Anambra State in November of 2021 is supposed to be proactive in addressing whatever challenges that arises from the unfortunate incident.
We call on INEC Chairman to reverse the absurd decision. Anambra State rejects any move that we feel is not in the interest of the state and her citizens as it concerns the November 6th governorship election.
Chief George Udedibia (KSM)
National President,
OJIANA People’s Congress (OPC)”
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