Anambra Election: 16 Parties Oppose Call for Cancellation

SIXTEEN political parties in the Anambra State have accepted the results collated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the governorship election held in the state on Saturday.
Speaking with journalists after a meeting in Awka, on Wednesday, chairmen of the parties said they abided by the final outcome of the exercise.
Presenting the stand of the political parties, their spokesman, who is also the chaiman of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Chuba Ikeagwu, said they would also back INEC in its proposed supplementary election for the conclusion of the governorship election, to enable it to declare the result without further delay.

They commended INEC, security agencies and other stakeholders for conducting a peaceful election without loss of life and destruction of property in the state.
The political parties assured that they would give total support to whoever emerged the winner of the election.
In his contribution, the state chairman of KOWA, Evangelist Isaac Omouka, said the election was free and fair, adding that there was no ground for the call for cancellation or resignation of INEC officials.
Onwuka stressed that the collective interest of the state should be placed above every other consideration.
Also speaking, the state chairman of ACD, Mrs Oby Okafor, enjoined INEC to conduct the supplementary election as soon as possible and declare the winner of the election.
 Speaking in a similar vein, the state chairman of MPPP, Evangelist Samuel Anidike, said everybody should accept and support the outcome of the election, as the will and mandate of the people should not be compromised.
All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Chief Willie Obiano, said the success of the governorship election was a watershed and pointer to greater and brighter future for the state.
Obiano, speaking with journalists at his home town of Aguleri, on Wednesday, said the outcome of the election had confirmed that the people of the state could forge a common front and take their destinies in their hands.
He noted that the electorate had made a statement through the decision to vote massively for a candidate of their choice.
He thanked the people of the state for their orderly conduct and INEC for offering a level-playing field during the election.
More stakeholders in the state have, therefore, endorsed the election as free, fair and credible.
Speaking with journalists in Awka, on Wednesday, they dismissed the call for the cancellation of the exercise.
The state chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Elder Chris Elumuno, said the socio and cultural organisation was satisfied with the conduct of the election, as INEC provided a level playing ground for political parties and followed due process and laid down rules in the conduct of the election process.
Earlier, Elumuno, also the President General of Nkwelle Ezunaka Town Union, explained that electoral materials arrived early in their areas and every eligible voter had the opportunity to exercise their franchise.
He enjoined those who lost the election to accept the result in good faith, as the contest was not a do-or-die affair, adding that they had no right to call for its cancellation when the people had made their choice.
A former governor of the state, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said the election was fair, credible and violence-free.
He stressed that nobody should call for its cancellation when INEC was already preparing for a supplementary elections to correct whatever hitches it perceived.
Also speaking, the President General of Association of Town Unions, Dr Innocent Onwubuya, said INEC conducted commendable election that reflected the will of the people and enjoined the areas where supplementary election would be conducted to participate actively.
The traditional ruler of Nteje, Igwe Renald Odegbo, commended INEC and security agencies for proper conducts of the exercise, while thanking President Goodluck Jonathan for providing a conducive environment for a hitch-free election.
TMG okays INEC collation process
THE Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), in Abuja, on Wednesday, said the collation process of Anambra governorship election was in order, based on its “quick count methodology”.
Chairman of the group, Mr Zikirilluhi Ibrahim, disclosed this at a news conference on the post-election, a view contrary to its earlier position that the election process was compromised.
The group had earlier lauded INEC for accepting responsibility for failure of its officials, which it claimed worked for outside interest to subvert the electoral process.
It called on INEC to move beyond the officials that allegedly perpetrated rigging, but to identify the alleged collaborators and those they worked with in order to expose them.
Ibrahim said based on the quick count methodology of the group, “TMG can confidently verify that the collation process was done properly.”
He said the official results, as announced by INEC on November 18, accurately reflected vote cast on the election day at polling stations where the election was held.
Ibrahim said the official results for each candidate closely matched TMG’s independent estimates, based on polling unit results collected from a representative random sample.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE