Anambra Poll: Supporters Troop to Soludo’s House, as INEC Suspends Results Collation

Matilda Omonaiye & NAN/

Supporters and well-wishers yesteray night, gathered at the home of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)’s candidate, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area, as they await election result.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced results of 20 out of the 21 Local Government Areas in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that political associates, youths and women in their hundreds thronged to Soludo’s resident at Isuofia as they await the announcement of the results.

Some of the residents, who spoke with NAN, said that they believed that Soludo would emerge winner at the end of the process.

Mrs Chioma Ocha said she was happy because a governor would emerge from her community.

“We are here to show solidarity to our brother and son while we wait for INEC to announce the final result.

“But I’m particularly happy that my town, Isuofia, will be producing the next governor of Anambra. That is a very big achievement, ” she said.

Also speaking, Mr Chinedu Ogubuiro said he came to jubilate with Soludo ahead of INEC’s announcement.

“I am one of Soludo’s kinsmen and I want to be on ground to celebrate with him when INEC announce the results of the election,” he said.

Soludo who joined the crowd in singing urged them to be patient as INEC announce the results of the election.

Meanwhile, INEC has suspended collation of results pending the conduct of the election in Ihiala Local Government Area.

Prof. Florence Obi, INEC Returning Officer for the Anambra Governorship election made the announcement yesterday night in Awka. 

Obi, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Cross River State, announced that the election would be conducted in Ihiala tomorrow.

She explained that election could not hold in the LGA due to security reasons.

Obi said it would be wrong to announce the result without allowing people in 131 polling units in Ihiala to exercise their civic duties.

According to her, it becomes imperative to bring Ihiala at par with other local government areas to make declaration of the result.

”As the Electoral Officer, I hereby announce the suspension of result until elections are held in all the polling units in Ihiala.

”Supplementary election will take place in the area on November 9,” she disclosed.

Before announcing the suspension of collation, Obi had given total number of votes already scored by candidates.

She said that Soludo polled a total of 103, 946 votes followed by Mr Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 51,322 votes to emerged second.

Sen. Andy Uba, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate got a total of 42,942 votes to emerge the third position.

Obi said that Soludo won in 18 out of the 20 Local Government Areas of the State already declared.

Obi listed the areas where Soludo won to include; Dunukofia, Awka South, Oyi, Anaocha, Ayamelum, Anambra East, Idemili South and Onitsha South.

She also stated that the APGA candidate also won in Njikoka, Orumba South, Onitsha North, Idemili North, Ekwusigo, Aguata, Orumba North and Nnewi South Local Government Areas.

The PDP candidate won in Ogbaru with 3,445 votes, APGA scored second while APC came third in the same council.

Senator Ifeanyi Uba of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) won in his home Local Government, Nnewi North in spite of coming a distant fourth in the overall score card with 20,917 votes.

The returning officer said that no election held in Ihiala must be given chance like others to participate in the process.

Obi stated that total number of valid votes already collated was 229,521, void votes 7,841 while total number of votes cast was 237,362.

She praised all parties for their support, noting that supplementary election would be held only in Ihiala.

Quoting relevant sections of the Electoral Act, she noted that Section 22 of the Constitution provides for re-run in event of security challenge.

She said that the final result will be announced after completing the election in Ihiala.

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