APC demands cancellation of Anambra Assembly polls

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Anambra State has called for the cancellation

of the House of Assembly election result in 12 constituencies in the state.

Briefing reporters on the outcome of  April 11, 2015, election in Awka, Anambra State chairman of APC, Mr. Emeka Ibe, said his party was rejecting the result because the exercise was not conducted in substantial compliance to 2010 Electoral Act.

APGA won all the 26 seats so far declared in the state, while INEC has ordered a re-run in some polling units and wards in four constituencies.

Ibe, who noted that the election was not free, fair and credible, alleged that the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr. Edwin Nwatarali, allowed himself to be used by the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to the detriment of other political parties in Anambra State.

He said:  “Most of the presiding officers employed were card-carrying members of APGA. They were mostly seen either releasing ballot papers to APGA members to thumbprint, or carrying out simultaneous accreditation and voting, even after accreditation ought to have ended, on the instruction of APGA stalwarts.

“Manual accreditation was again used across the state, contrary to the provisions of the INEC guidelines on elections, which provides that where a card reader is faulty and cannot be restored within the period of accreditation, election will be postponed till the following day.

“The state House of Assembly election is fraught with irregularities and it is because the PDP was the driving force of most electoral brigandage experienced on March 28.

‘’This time, APGA, in a bid to revenge the wounds inflicted on   the party, the APC and other political parties in the election, laid plans to out-rig the PDP and of course, all other parties.

“This clash of illegal and illegitimate interests  by the two parties pretending to be in alliance was the reason for the rape of democracy, which we  have witnessed in the April 11 House of Assembly elections.