Anambra Poll: INEC Postpones Election In Ihiala Local Govt Over Alleged Irregularities

Collation officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday said elections did not hold in Orumba North and Ihiala Local Government Areas during the Anambra governorship election which held on Saturday.

Dr Michael Otu, a lecturer of Commercial Law from the University of Calabar, was the collation officer for Orumba North.

Addressing the Returning Officer, Professor Florence Obi, at the INEC Collation Centre in Akwa, Otu described his experience as very pathetic, thanking God for being alive.

“To be very frank to you, I want to categorically and unequivocally tell you that there was no election in the best of my knowledge and with the evidence I am going to buttress herein,” he said.

According to him, the total registered voters in 18 registration areas is 93,608.

A drama ensued when he stated that though he collated the figures, he didn’t believe in it because he signed the results under duress.

“93,608 is what we collated, although I signed this document under duress, I don’t believe in it. I don’t believe in it, it is not my will,” he added.

In addition to signing the result under duress, the collation officer also cited security threats and alleged violence as reasons why election did not hold in his domain.

Similarly, the collation officer for Ihiala LGA, Ahmadu Umar said the governorship election did not hold in his area.

While making a presentation after the result for Aguata LGA was declared, Umar however didn’t state why there was no election in Ihiala LGA.

He gave the number of registered voters in the LGA as 148,407, insisting that the poll did not take place in Ihiala.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced the postponement of the governorship election in Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State, following alleged irregularities discovered in most communities in the council area.