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Nigeria: Elections Didn't Hold in Anambra - Peter Obi
April 16, 2007 Vanguard

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State yesterday alleged that elections did not take place in Anambra and listed prominent people in the state who did not vote.

In a statement signed by him, the governor said "investigations and reports available to me amount to the same gloomy story of non-availability of INEC officials. In the few places INEC officials showed up, they had no voting materials and where they had, there were no result sheets."

His words: "In the South Senatorial Zone of my State, Dim Chukwuemeka

Odumegwu-Ojukwu was at his Polling Unit till 3:30pm but no voting took place. Chief Simon Okeke, the former Chairman of the Police Service Commission did not vote because elections did not take place in his ward. Chief Okeke, who even went personally to his Local Government Area Headquarters in search of INEC officials, said he met only the cleaner beside whom voting materials were packed.

Dr. Dozie Ikedife, the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo and Chief Edwin Umezoke, the Vice Presidential candidate of ANPP could not vote because voting did not take place in their wards", adding that, "in the Central Zone, Sir Victor Umeh, the National Chairman of APGA and Chief Ben Obi, the Vice Presidential candidate of AC could not vote because voting did not take place in their wards".

"For the same reason, Mr. Ikem Odumodu, the Managing Director of May and Baker and Dr. Ifeanyi Okoye, the managing Director of Juhel Pharmaceutical Ltd could not vote.

At 2pm, I met Prof. Dora Akunyili and her husband, both of whom were still waiting for INEC officials and voting materials. I, the Governor of the State, could not vote despite being at my Polling Unit intermittently until 3pm".

Continuing, he said, "in the North Senatorial Zone, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe did not vote. In fact he sent out his aides who reported back to him that elections were not taking place in any part of Onitsha.

Dr. Tim Menakaya, a former Federal Minister of Health did not vote neither did the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Paul Odenigbo. Also, Igwe Nonso, the Chairman, Anambra West Traditional Council did not vote".

Also in the same vein, according to the statement, "it should be noted, again, that the clergy across the state did not vote because voting did not take place in their various wards.

If all our prominent people were not able to vote who then could have voted? This, in addition to my first hand information confirmed that no elections took place in Anambra State. While I urge the people of the State to remain calm and prayerful, we hope that INEC will resolve the issue dispassionately by upholding the people's right to vote".

‘Time to Test Iwu’s Claims on DDC Machines’ Sufuyan Ojeifo in Abuja, 04.17.2007 – Thisday

Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, said yesterday that this was the time for the nation to test the efficacy of the Direct Data Capture machine which the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) claimed would guard against rigging and expose multiple voters. Nnamani, who arrived at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, aboard a presidential jet marked NAF 5N-FGE, said: “There was no voting at all in my polling unit and my ward has a registration in excess of 8,000, with so many polling units.” Saying that there was a limit to propaganda, he disputed the claim by the Information Minister, Mr. Frank Nweke (Junior) that the elections were free and fair, saying that the Minister’s father, who is a traditional ruler in his zone, did not vote even though he wanted to exercise his civic right. According to him, “Not in one was there any voting; and if anybody said he voted, there is this fingerprint authentication. We can have the fingerprint tested.”

Ojukwu, Ohanaeze Reject Results in S/East
Francis Ugwoke in Enugu, 04.17.2007 Thisday

…Speaking to newsmen in his Independent Layout, Enugu home, Ojukwu said that what happened on Saturday was worse than the situation in 2003, maintaining that the election was designed not to allow the participation of Ndigbo. The APGA presidential candidate was of the view that if something was to come out of the election, the entire exercise in the South East should be cancelled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to him, “if something has to come out of the exercise, we have to cancel it otherwise the result cannot be used for anything. APGA will not accept it. I ask people to reflect. We reject whatever result they allotted to the people”. He added, “We went through the tragedy of 2003. We hoped that this one will be better but what was on ground was worse than the situation in 2003.What I saw was that nobody wanted Ndigbo to participate. I went to Nnewi and I was unable to vote because of no materials”.

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Why I am happy to vote myself out of power, by Gov. Nnamani, condifent of PDP victory
April 14, 2007

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The nationwide governorship and state legislative elections held Saturday, the 14th April 2007 was peaceful and orderly in Enugu State .

Although voting started almost six hours behind schedule in most parts of the state, eligible voters were seen patiently waiting at the various polling centres for the INEC officials and voting materials to enable them cast their votes.

At Ojiagu ward, Agbani, voting materials accompanied by INEC officials arrived the polling centre at about 2:25pm under heavy police escourt.

The State Governor, Chimaroke Nnamani exercised his franchise in his country home alongside his kinsmen and women at his Ojiagu-Agbani ward at about 2:45pm.

Responding to questions from newsmen shortly after casting his vote, Governor Nnamani described the exercise aspeaceful and well organized and noted with satisfaction the general security in parts of the state.

"The exercise was well organized, you have seen my people in line… I have also been appraised of the general security situation in the state and you have to understand that the materials were distributed although late but in an atmosphere devoid of any violence. The whole state has been quiet apart from one or two cases...", he said.

Governor Nnamani used the occasion to commend the INEC Chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu, the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner and officials of the commission for the excellent way they had organized and packaged the entire election and expressed the hope that other future elections will be peaceful.

In his words, “ you can see with the ballot papers and the entire arrangements it is well organized, I saw the pictures embossed on the ballot papers they appear good. I give my respect to the National Chairman of INEC, Professor Iwu and the Commissioner in charge of Enugu State.”

On the late arrival of election materials in the State, Governor Nnamani attributed it to some delays in the distribution of the materials and expressed the hope that the INEC would give enough time for the people to exercise their franchise in the State.

Answering a question about his feelings in leaving office in a few weeks time, Gov. Nnamani said, “ I feel good... I feel great at this opportunity to vote myself out of office. This is the first time in the history of this country that an elected government is making a peaceful and predictable exit. We must all strive to ensure that democracy endures in the land because it is only democracy that can guarantee this peaceful transition of power."

Asked to recall some of his greatest achivements in office, the State Chief Executive said: " It has been very eventful, highly rewarding. We met what was described as a 'Civil Service State' and we are leaving a purely commercial city; we met a state without infrastructure...we are leaving behind a lot of infrastructure, a brand new university, a teaching hospital and medical college, a tunnel, judiciary headquarters, modern housing estates..."

Gov. Nnamani noted with satisfaction that his eight years of governance had seen a lot of remarkable projects, adding with delight that his administration built human capacity, motivated the workforce, established a new political class at various levels of governance and promoted the emergence of the middle class.

The Governor therefore thanked the people of Enugu state for keeping faith with his administration and appealed to them to remain peaceful and conduct themselves in an orderly manner throughout the election days, pointing out that he was very confident of the victory of the PDP governorship flagbearer, Barrister Sullivan Chime, and other candidates of the party for State legislative elections.

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