NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS - Publish Yourself :: Peter Obi Winner of Anambra Election

07/02/10

Peter Obi Winner of Anambra Election - Categories: News, Nigerian News, South East News - admin @ 12:08:05 am

*Nigeria: Peter Obi Winner of Anambra Election

By Masterweb News Desk

Josiah Uwazuronye, Anambra Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), has today declared incumbent Governor Peter Obi winner of the state gubernatorial election held yesterday. In his announcement Uwazuronye said: “Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner and his return elected.”

According to INEC announcement, Governor Obi overwhelmingly won the election with 97,843 votes, ahead of closest rival Chris Ngige of Action Congress (AC) opposition party, who amassed 60,240. Chukwuma Soludo of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came in third with 59,365 votes.

Emeka Anyaouku, former Commonwealth Secretary General told newsmen in Lagos that Anambra election would shape the direction elections take next year, adding that Nigeria was at a crossroads where its affairs were not as bright as they should be. Dora Akunyili, Nigeria Information Minister speaking with local AIT television news crew at the INEC office in Awka, said the election showed the need for electoral reform.

Election results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) early this morning from 5 local governments put incumbent Governor Peter Obi ahead of 24 other gubernatorial contenders. Peter Obi, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) flag bearer, amassed a total of 23,337 votes from Anambra East, Onitsha South, Awka South, Dunukofia and Ekwusigo Local Government Areas. He is trailed by Chris Ngige, Action Congress (AC) candidate, who rolled in 13,270 votes. Chukwuma Soludo, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer came in third with 12,607 votes. INEC is yet to announce results from 16 local government areas. There are a total of 21 local government areas in Anambra State.

Unofficial results compiled by unconfirmed sources on Saturday from 13 local government areas, put Peter Obi ahead of other candidates. INEC declaration of Obi, the winner, and the precision of the prediction of Saturday’s unconfirm sources shows the extent private election monotoring has grown in Nigeria. ( Continues below….. )

Anambra State Governor Peter Obi

Photo Above: Anambra State Governor Peter Obi

Anambra Election Watch Log for Saturday, February 6, 2010.

[ INEC went ahead and held Anambra gubernatorial election Saturday, despite a Federal High Court ruling barring it. INEC said it had not been served any court order barring the election. ]

Election News Update - Saturday, February 6, 2010

[8.00 am - 9.00 am] - Electoral materials leave INEC’s office for polling centers amidst tight security. Buses conveying electoral materials followed by opposition parties in hired buses.

9.00 am - Scores of policemen are stranded at the Police Divisional Headquareters in Ekwulobia, Aguata LGA, with no vehicles to convey them to their assigned polling stations. Many are hitch hiking rides on both private and commercial vehicles. Officially polling boths are to open at 8.00 am.

9.00 am - There are no INEC staff nor election materials at several polling boths. INEC blames the police for the delay in the arrival of election materials.

9.30 am - Thugs beat up Olufemi Aduwo, INEC monitoring Committee member after he claimed to have discovered a list of INEC officials set up for bribery. Violence between suspected PDP thugs and some election monitors at Barn Hotel, Awka.

10.00 am - Election officials and materials arrive Oko, hometown of Alex Ekwueme. Voters are just now beginning to queue up in line to cast their votes. There are no election officials nor materials at Isuofia, hometown of Chukwuma Soludo, PDP gubernatorial candidate. Voters are patiently waiting at polling stations.

10.40 am - Election materials for to the various polling centers are just now being distributed at Ekwulobia Central School. A fake policeman arrested at the headquarters of Oyi Local Govt. as he tried to enter a police escort van.

11.00 am - Police at Awka North LG orders voting to stop at booths without security agents. Youth Corpers recruited as election officials are stranded at Aguata LG headquarters, because there are no vehicles to take them to their polling stations.

11.30 am - Voting yet to start at Uga, hometown of Andy Uba. Tension mounts in Achalla, Awka North Local Govt. as people await election officials and materials.

12.00 pm - Voting materials at Isuofia, Aguata LG reportedly loaded in a van and driven away to an undisclosed location. Election materials arrive Okpuno Ezinifite, three hours behind schedule. Most voters at Ojoto cannot find their names in the register.

12.15 pm - Voting has not started at Ogbunike and Umunya, both in Oyi LGA. Thugs moving around town in buses at Ogbunike.

1.00 pm - Uwazuruonye, a member of Anambra House of Assembly arrives at the office of the resident electoral commissioner in Awka South LG. complaining voting is yet to start at his ward, Awka VII.

1.30 pm - Anambra Resident Electoral Commissioner’s office announces that the elections must stop at 4.00 pm as scheduled. According to the statement, after that hour, no voter would be allowed into any polling station, but people already in line could continue voting. Fighting reported at Ifitedunu.

1.45 pm - Anambra Resident Electoral Commissioner’s office announces extension of voting across the state to 5.00 pm. Many names are reportedly missing from voters’ registers across the state.

2.00 pm - Fierce fight reported in Agukwu Nri in Aniocha LGA between PPA and APGA supporters. Damien Ejidike, a PDP member, arrested with voters’ cards at Ichi in Ekwusigo LGA.

3.15 pm - Damien Ejidike released.

3.30 pm - Ballot box missing at Uli Ward I, Unit 26. Ballot boxes been snatched at Okpokp Ward VI by thugs.

4.00 pm - Thugs armed to the teeth invade several polling stations snatching ballot boxes as voting winds down for counting at the polling boths. Security agents unable to contain thugs as they are armless at the boths as ordered by INEC.

4.10 pm - Igboukwu polling station attacked by heavily armed thugs in two green buses(one without license plates) shooting into the air and threatening security operatives and INEC officials with death. Thugs load up ballot boxes into buses, but were challenged by the army as they drove off. In a fierce shootout with the army, they abandoned the buses and as they fled four were captured and taken to Aguata police station.

4.20 pm - Voting ends in a couple of LGAs that did not witness armed snatching of ballot boxes by thugs, Dunukofia LGA one of them. Counting begins at these LGAs.

5.30 pm - Gov. Peter Obi (APGA candidate) is reported leading in Ihiala, Onithsa North, Onitsha South, Oyi, Aniocha, Ogbaru and Aguata LGAs. Chris Ngige (APGA candidate) reportedly leading in Idemili South and Idemili North LGAs. Uche Ekwunife (PPA candidate) leads in Dunukofia her home base, according to our source. Chukwuma Soludo (PDP candidate) has not won any LGA so far according to the same source.

6.00 pm - According to sources, incumbent Governor Peter Obi is leading in 13 out of the 21 local government areas of the state. Chris Ngige (AC) is said to be trailing Obi with Soludo (PDP) third, Andy Uba (LP) fourth and Ekwunife (PPA) fifth. Olisa Metuh, National Vice Chairman of PDP SE zone, describes the election as a charade, saying what took place could not pass for a credible election. Labour Party candidate, Andy Uba, describes the election a “complete mess”, wondering how a winner could emerge from it. APGA leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu showered praises on INEC and security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the election.

Friday, February 5, 2010

12.00 pm - Security forces are on high alert in Anambra State, as count down to the governorship election scheduled for Saturday begins. Masterweb correspondent reports that as at 12.00 pm today 10,000 Civil Defence Officers were in front of the Anambra State Police Headquarters awaiting deployment.

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Map of Anambra State, Nigeria.

Photo Above: Map of Anambra State, Nigeria.

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*Tags: Nigerians, Anambra, State, Abuja, Lagos, Yar’Adua, Goodluck, Jonathan, Africa, Masterweb

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47 comments

Comments:

Comment from: EZEAGU frm USA [Visitor]

Anambra was the test ground for PDP. if soludo had won, many contenders in other states would have followed suit believing in the rigging and manipulative powers of PDP. I like Soludo though but he calculated too quickly and came third too quickly. Obi has become a child of providence and he should be allowed to work and enthrone his legacy in Anambra state. I am yet to feel his presece in my town regrettably. Welcome aboard again your excellency, i am still loyal

Permalink 02/07/10 @ 14:24

Comment from: uche ayaka [Visitor]

i will be happy is ngigi has won but let take it like that/. i am still loyal

Permalink 02/07/10 @ 14:52

Comment from: F. Ogedengbe [Visitor]

We have now started to witness the emergence of a new Nigeria. Congratulations to INEC

Permalink 02/07/10 @ 15:10

Comment from: Manu S.M [Visitor]

That Soludo didn't win the election is still a surprise.what went wrong?so money may not answer all things after all. I guess he was over confidence.Ngige has always being my man,an achiever per excellence,fearless and workaholic.I wish best of luck next time.Lastly Congratulations OBI.I warned your opponents to beware of power of incumbency but wouldn't listen ayuaaa!!!

Permalink 02/07/10 @ 15:19

Comment from: Charles Ike ..Ifitedunu [Visitor]

Congratulations Obi, do it better now for Ndi Anambra..... we LOVE you

Permalink 02/07/10 @ 15:38

Comment from: Chidimma Nwodo [Visitor]

Congratulation 2 Mr. Obi. What a suprise dat an electn in Nig is free and fair. Anambra kwenu. Congrats once again and is nt gvn 2 solude.

Permalink 02/07/10 @ 15:59

Comment from: Elder(Engr.) R. U. Odoh(usa) [Visitor]

· http://www.rehobothsheba.com

Soludo & Uba was too ambitious. Ngige has no money to share, still he came on top. Nigeria has arrived. Gov Obi(Okwute ndi-ibgo) keep it up. we are behind you. Pls don't let your father(IKEMBA) down.Your re-election is a special gift to him. Invite Ngige, and see how you two can work together, for the brtterment of ndi-anambra.

Permalink 02/07/10 @ 16:35

Comment from: Abiara Rasheed [Visitor]

we are going to be there, we re getting there, with this it shows moneybag politics is gradually going into extinction.Congratulation Mr Obi., with this victory should try to surpass the achievement of Fashola cos Anabarians have shown to u that they believe in u.

Permalink 02/07/10 @ 17:00

Comment from: Abiara Rasheed [Visitor]

we are going to be there, we re getting there, with this it shows moneybag politics is gradually going into extinction.Congratulation Mr Obi., with this victory you should try to surpass the achievement of Fashola cos Anabarians have shown to u that they believe in u.

Permalink 02/07/10 @ 17:02