Ngige Is Declared Anambra Central Senatorial Election Winner

Details: Category: April 2011 Polls; Published on Tuesday, 12 April 2011 12:20; Written by Admin; Hits: 3157

The controversy over the Anambra Central Senatorial District election has been laid to rest. Ex-Governor Chris Nwabueze Ngige of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was last night declared the winner.

Ngige Returning Officer Dr. Alex Anene announced that Ngige polled 68,208 votes to defeat his closest rival, former Minister of Information Prof. Dora Akunyili, who scored 68,164 votes.

Mrs. Akunyili ran on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Senator Annie Okonkwo of the Accord Party (AP) scored 23,346 votes. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate scored 18,578. Two people, Oguguo Okoye and Chudi Offodile, are battling for the PDP ticket.

The Returning Officer, who announced the result at the Tourist Gardens Hotel in Awka under tight security, said he had all authentic results duly written on Form EC8.

“No one else has the authority to declare the result of this election. No result was cancelled; all of them are intact”, he said.

A big row had broken out over the result as Mrs. Akunyili and Ngige claimed victory in the election. Anene on Sunday alleged that his life was in danger and vowed to quit the job.

He said he was offered N10million, a duplex and a car to announce the result in favour of Akunyili, instead of Ngige, who, he said, won.

Last night, Anene said he wanted to complete his assignment.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu, had earlier announced the cancellation of elections in 10 wards across four local government areas. He ordered a rerun. He also announced Prof. Charles Esimonye as the new Returning Officer who would handle the rerun poll after Anene’s alleged resignation.

Onukaogu said areas where the rerun election would take place are: Enugwu-Ukwu Ward I; Nimo Ward I and III; Nri Ward II, which has two units; Obosi; - Umunachi; Nkpor and Umuoji.

The wards are in Idemili North, Idemili South, Dunukofia and Njikoka local governments.

Onukogu said he canceled the elections in the four local government areas following protest from Ngige.

Charles Odedo of the ACN had earlier declared winner of the election in Idemili North/South federal constituency.

Akunyili last night declined to comment on the declaration of the ex-governor as winner of the election.

A lady who described herself as the Personal Assistant to Akunyili said on the telephone that her principal “is not the right person to answer this question.”

“If you listened to news this night (yesterday) you would have heard the results that were announced. That is what we know,” she said. (The Nation)

Dr. Alex Anene's press statement reads:

“April 11, 2011

PRESS RELEASE

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am Mr. Alex Anene, the Senatorial District Returning Officer for Anambra Central Senatorial District. Here is my letter of appointment.

I have dutifully collated the results of the election from Forms EC8C. In instances where Form EC8C is unavailable as in Njikoka LGA, I have resorted to computing the votes from Form EC 8B and in some cases from Form EC 8A. I have painstakingly done these to arrive at the numbers which I have entered in the Form EC 8D and finally into EC 8E.

I note that in presenting Forms EC 8C to me, none of the Collation Officers had any INEC Form EC 40G (1) which is the authorization form for canceling any result. Since none was shown or given to me, I did not cancel any result.

Nevertheless, I have computed and verified these numbers and have also duly entered them on the Form EC 8D which is the Senatorial District Election Form.

In compliance with step 4 of the Independent National Electoral Commission Manual for Senatorial Election, this is the result of the votes obtained by the candidates of the different political parties.

Accord Party- 20,847 votes
ACN- 68,208votes
ADC-1,861 votes
ALP- 927 votes
ANPP-1,106 votes
APGA- 68,164 votes
CDC-422 votes
CPC-1,081 votes
LP- 395 votes
NDP-115 votes
PDP-18,176 votes
PPA- 370 votes

Now therefore, by the powers conferred on me as the Senatorial District Returning Officer, His Excellency Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige (OON) of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) having scored the highest number of valid votes cast in the said election and having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner of the Anambra Central Senatorial District and is hereby ELECTED.

I will distribute the copies of the Forms EC 8D and EC 8E to the party agents, the Police and the Security Agencies in due course when the condition become conducive for me to do so.

I thank you for your attention

Signed - Alex Anene
Senatorial Returning Officer
Anambra Central Senatorial District.”