Apathy, manipulation mar re-run polls in Anambra

The rescheduled House of Assembly election in Ekwusigo Local Gov­ernment Area of Anambra State witnessed low turn out of voters in all the 175 polling units in the area yesterday.

Chairman of Ekwusigo Lo­cal Government Area, Hon Jude Mbaegbu said he was not surprised at the low turn­out which he attributed to the postponement of the election last Saturday following a high­jack of election materials at the office of the Independent Na­tional Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ozubulu by people suspected to be members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mbaegbu noted that many indigenes of Ekwusigo in di­aspora who came home for the purpose of the election were disappointed by the incident.

Hon Mbaegbu said the apa­thy was further compounded by the fact that none of those who masterminded the high­jack was arrested even as some All Progressives Grand Alli­ance (APGA) stalwarts in the area were said to be living in  fear, according to him.

He alleged that some top PDP members were busy thumb printing ballot papers in Oraifite during the exer­cise, saying his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) would not accept re­sults from the affected areas.

The Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Special Duties, Sir Norbert Obi at Uruokwe Central School polling unit, Egbema Ozubulu,however, said the election was peaceful at the polling unit despite the low turnout and expressed the hope that his party, APGA would win the election.

Youths under the auspices of Anambra Youth Initiative For Good Governance led by Anthony Ogbugo had earlier threatened to resist any form of rigging during the re-sched­uled election.

“We don’t want a repeat of April 11 shameful highjack of election materials which led to the postponement of the election. We are here today (yesterday) to make sure that the wishes of the people are upheld through the ballot. We will resist any form of highjack or electoral violence,” Ogbugo warned.