Tension in Anambra as returning officer quits

The senatorial election for the Anambra Central zone has ended in a stalemate after the returning officer, Mr. Alex Anene, walked out on the process and never returned on Sunday.
The uncertainty that built up after the returning officer walked out has helped to ignite tension in the state capital, Awka where politicians and party supporters had gathered for the declaration of the results.

There were also indications that the result of the constituency, where the candidates of the Action Congress of Nigeria and the All Progressives Grand Alliance candidates, Dr. Chris Ngige and Prof. Dora Akunyili, were running neck and neck would not be declared soon.
Results from Idemili North and Idemili South have not been received. The ACN is already contesting the result from Anaocha Local Government Area, while election in Njikoka Local Government area is inconclusive.
Tension had built up around the Anambra Central collation centre at the Udoka Housing estate when the returning officer for Njikoka Local Government Area, Prof. Emmanuel Nnabuife, came in with the result for the area’s election.
But the senatorial zone’s returning officer, on noticing the mutilation on the result sheet rejected it. However, the Awka South Electoral Officer, called the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, on telephone to intimate him with the development.

Shortly after, Anene began to compute the figures with the Njikoka returning officer.
The ACN agents at the collation centre led by Mr. Kingsley Ezenwenyi kicked against the acceptance of the mutilated result, following which results for three wards were cancelled.
The ACN agents said the original result received from their agents in the council area indicated that the ACN won in those wards.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Anambra South senatorial election, Dr. Andy Uba, has been declared winner of Saturday’s election.
The returning Officer, Prof. Nick Okoye, while announcing the result at Nnewi, said Uba scored 53,315 votes to beat the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Chuma Nzeribe, who scored 43,789 votes.
Incumbent senator, Mr. Ikechukwu Obiorah of the Accord Party, scored 21,774, while the Action Congress of Nigeria candidate, Chief Chris Atuegwu, scored 11, 539.
However, a factional PDP candidate, Mr. Nicholas Ukachukwu, has claimed he was the authentic winner of the election, and not Uba.
The result declared for Anambra North senatorial zone showed that the election was won by Mr. John Emeka of the PDP.

He beat Senator Joy Emodi of APGA, Jessie Balonwu of ACN, Mike Areh of AP and Dennis Odife of the Labour Party.
APGA’s candidate, Mr. Cyril Egwuatu won the House of Representatives election for Onitsha federal constituency, while Mr. Emeka Nwogbo, won the House of Representatives’ election for Awka federal constituency.
Mrs. Uche Ekwunife of the APGA won the federal house for Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia constituency.
Also, the ACN senatorial candidate for Anambra Central, Dr. Chris Ngige, has formally filed a protest against the results of the election in Anaocha council area.
Ngige, who submitted a copy of his protest to Anene, said result sheets were deliberately kept away from the polling units till 7pm to allow a manipulation of votes in the area, which is home to Governor Peter Obi and Dora Akunyili, the APGA candidate.