#AnambraDecides2017- Expectations as Ndi Anambra go to poll today

Anambra Elections- In what can be described as historic election, the people of Anambra State will today decide their next governor among the 37 candidates contesting on the platforms of their respective political parties.

The incumbent State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, is contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) while President Muhammadu Buhari, whose party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is one of the leading contenders has assured the good people of the state of a free and fair poll.

The President reiterated this development at the grand finale of the APC campaign in Awka.

Expectedly, the contest will be a straight battle between Governor Obiano of APGA, Mr Oseloka Obaze of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Dr. Tony Nwoye of All Progressives Congress (APC), seen as the top three contenders to the throne. The three contenders are closely followed by Chief Osita Chidoka of United Progressive Party (UPP), Lolo Oby Kate Okafor of Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) and Mr Godwin Ezeemo of Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA).

Ratings of Contestesters at Anambra Guber Poll

Incumbent Governor Willie Obiano, the APGA flag-bearer has enormous advantages to win this election. Obiano, as an incumbent governor, has executed projects that have directly impacted on the various segments of people of the state which will earn him their support or sympathy.

For Nwoye, the candidate of the APC, his background as a Students’ Union activist and grassroots politician who has been on the ground since at least 2003 are his major strength

Obaze, former Secretary to the Anambra State Government under Peter Obi and for some time with Obiano and a former diplomat, is another strong contender for the Agu Awka Government House.

Chidoka, former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), and ex-Minister of Aviation is another strong contender for the race. Chidoka is banking on the UPP and he is said to have some sympathy from the young elements.

Lolo Oby Kate Okafor, the candidate of the ACD, has reportedly claimed that the males have failed the people hence it was time for a woman to rule the state while she assured that she would not disappoint if given the mandate by the people of the state.

Ezeemo of the PPA is another candidate in this election. Many people in the state see Ezeemo as a gentle man and philanthropist, who should be given opportunity to rule the state.

Meanwhile, the Inspector- General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has assured voters of adequate security and protection at the poll and urged the people to ignore the threat of members of banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on the grounds that about 26,000 policemen, 15 gunboats and 303 patrol vehicles have been deployed for the governorship poll.

The IGP also assured that the Force will not do anything to truncate the election process while Governor Obiano’s Aide-de-Camp has been restored as against previous media report of withdrawal of his full security compliments.

Aside this, the Police boss has said his officers are on top of the game to provide adequate security.
Also, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations , Habila Joshak, was deployed to the state to be assisted by three Assistants Inspector- General of Police that will supervise election processes in the three senatorial districts.

The electoral umpire (INEC) has also assured Nigerians that it would leave no stone unturned for today’s election. The Commission has engaged 23,000 ad-hoc staff while INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said improvement has been made on the electronic card readers to ease accreditation of voters.

But it was a busy day on Friday in the state as the people are getting ready for the governorship poll today.

The roads were so busy while people were trooping to markets as if it was going to be their last day of shopping.

There was economic boom sequel to the influx of people in the state. Some of the new entrants into the state include different groups of observers, party loyalists, journalists from across the state and other individuals and groups.
Heavy patrol of security men at some strategic places was unprecedented. Filling stations are not left out as there were queues in each of the stations.

When The Daily Times sought the opinions of different individuals to ascertain the level of their preparations, some expressed their readiness to cast their votes, while some said they would stay indoor due to fear of anticipated crisis and security operatives that had taken over the state.

A commercial bus driver, Mr. Emmanuel Okafor, said the people’s votes had never been considered in Nigeria, saying that it would be a waste of time to exercise his civic responsibility.

He said, ” I have been voting in my life, but I don’t think I will go out to vote today due to the determination of a particular political party to take over the governorship position.

“To me, there is no need to vote since the results have been declared before the election. ”

A civil servants in the Ministry of Education, (name withheld) noted that it is her civil rights to choose who governs her for the next four years.

” The election determines the future of our state. Every eye is on Anambra because of its strategic position in the country. I urged INEC not to compromise or plot any measure geared towards providing a favourable ground for a particular candidate. We have confidence that our votes will be counted”, zthe civil servant noted.

In another development, various groups have addressed journalists on pre election matters.

The Coalition of INEC Accreditation Observers Organisation has raised the alarm over heavy deployment of military personnel in the state, saying it is a plot by the Federal Government to manipulate Anambra election.

While briefing newsmen in Awka, the National Coordinator of the group, Mr Emmanuel Nkweke, said the groups were conglomeration of 15 registered organisations.

He said, ” There is this belief that the large deployment of military personnel to Anambra State is an attempt to militarise the election thereby water the ground for election rigging and manipulation.

“We want to state that Anambra is not at war, therefore, the large detachment of armed military personnel is grossly unwarranted and unnecessary in a civil and democratic election.”

Nkweke alleged that about 4000 Corps Members were brought in from contiguous states such as Enugu, to complement the short fall of
Corps Members in Anambra as place of primary assignment.

” Now, our question is what is the reason for posting these Corps Members to some specific local government areas which is identified as a major stronghold of the All Progressives Congres? Some of these local government areas include Dunukofia, Idemili North, Idemili South among others. ” Nkweke questioned.

He however reinstated the commitment of the groups to ensure a transparent and credible election in Nigeria which is synonymous with international best practices and globally accepted standard.

But INEC has said it will make available all the necessary voting materials used after Anambra state governorship election to all the political parties and Civil Society Organizations upon request.

The National commissioner INEC, Prof Anthonia Simbine, stated this during the presentation of pre lelection report by Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Awka, the state capital.

He added the electoral body is ready to conduct a credible poll, saying that INEC had no preferred candidate among the contestants.

According to him, some of the materials include election results and other sensitive materials for the election.

Simbine also noted that the TMG has raised valid observations which he said INEC had already tackled, saying that every arrangement has been put in place to ensure a hitch free exercise.

Presenting the pre-election report , the chairperson Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Dr Abiola Akiyode – Afolabi, said the group was a conglomerate of network of over 200 civic organisations, and the foremost independent civil society election observation organization in Nigeria.

Afolabi said TMG had deployed about 150 trained accredited observers to different polling stations across the 21 local government areas in Anambra State.

She noted that “throughout Election Day, TMG’s observers will closely watch the process and report on the conduct of the elections relating to setup of polling units, accreditation of voters, voting itself and counting of ballots) and be able to give a detailed information about the conduct of the exercise.

According to her, the group observed that there are no law suits filed in respect of the primaries of most of the political parties and urges political parties to practice internal democracy in order to stop the current judicialization of Nigerian politics.

Afolabi also said that the result of the last governorship election conducted in Anambra State showed that only about 10 percent of the registered voters voted .

She therefore urged INEC and security agencies to do the needful for many electorates to have confident in the electoral process .
Also, the members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) have called for mass participation of the people during the election.

MASSOB made the call during a press briefing organized by its Anambra Central Senatorial District arm at Ifitedunu in Dunukofia Council Area.

The Anambra Central Zonal Leader of MASSOB, Mr Emmanuel Onwuka, noted that Anambra election must be conducted to determine the future of the state.

Onwuka warned desperate political parties to desist from imposing a candidate on the masses, saying they should allow Ndi Anambra to choose their leader.

He said, “MASSOB is a non-violent group. I want a peaceful election. We have decided to collaborate with the security personnel deployed to the state to ensure that the exercise is smooth, free and fair.”

The group also called for the immediate release of 11 of their members who they alleged were arrested by the police when they went to collect their Voters cards, insisting that the arrested persons have committed no offence.

TUNDE OPALANA, Abuja, ALPHONSUS NWEZE , John Ndu