The Returning Officer for the Anambra Governorship election, Professor Florence Banku Obi, has said that the collation of results for the Anambra Governorship election will resume on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 after a supplementary election in the 326 polling units in Ihiala Local Government Area.
This is just as she stated, that there is a need for the election to hold in that area so that the people are not denied their civic rights and to give room for the winner to be declared successfully.
She noted that although the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), polled the highest number of votes in the election, having polled 103,946 of the 237,362 votes cast in the election in 20 out of the 21 Local Government Areas of the State, the results can only be declared after the election at Ihiala on Tuesday.
According to her, “The brotherly spirit which has come through today is not only noteworthy, but also worthy of emulation. As you all know, we have collated results for twenty (20) out of twenty-one (21) Local Government Areas. The outstanding result is for Ihiala Local Government Area where, for various reasons, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could not deploy yesterday.
“Consequently, based on Constitutional considerations, provisions of the Electoral Act and the Revised Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections issued by the Commission, supplementary election is indicated for Ihiala Local Government Area”.
She noted that the major reason for not deploying for election in Ihiala on Saturday, 6th November 2021, is security threat which led to staffing and transportation constraints, among others, adding that Clause 47 of the Revised Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections provides that supplementary election shall be conducted where the Commission due to logistical challenges is unable to deploy on election day.
“Given the foregoing, it becomes imperative to bring Ihiala Local Government Area at par with the other twenty (20) Local Government Areas in this election before we can make a valid declaration or take any further necessary action based on the extant law.
“Therefore, I, Professor Florence Banku Obi, in my capacity as Returning Officer for this election, hereby announce the suspension of the process of collation of results and declaration of a winner until the supplementary election is held in the 326 Polling Units in Ihiala Local Government of the State.
“I have conferred with the Commission, being the body responsible for fixing the date of the election, and the Commission has decided that the supplementary election will take place on Tuesday, 9th November 2021. Thereafter, the collation of results shall resume”.
She appealed to everyone to support INEC during the supplementary election so that they can bring this election to a satisfactory conclusion for the good people of Anambra State and to the glory of God.
For her part, the Agent for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Victor Umeh, thanked God for the seamless process and said they will get ready for the election on Tuesday so that the candidate can be declared.
Some of the political party agents including the APC and PDP declined signing the result sheets.
