APC To Challenge APGA’s Election In Anambra

Chairman, Rumuola Chapter, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Mrs Pauline Furo Batubo, with Chairman of the Institute, Rivers State chapter, Mr. Austine Ihaze, during a luncheon , organised by NIM Chartered Rumuolumeni chapter, in Port Harcourt, last Friday.
Photo: Egberi A. Sampson

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it would go to court to challenge the conduct of last weekend’s supplementary election that gave the All Progressive Grand Alliance candidate, Chief Willie Obiano victory in the Anambra governorship election.
With the result of last Saturday’s supplementary election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared  Obiano winner of the governorship contest having polled a total of 180, 178 votes to PDP’s Tony Nwoye who came second with 97,200 votes. APC’s Senator Chris Ngige came third with 95,963 votes and LP’s Ifeanyi Ubah who polled 37, 495 votes.
APC’s interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Muhammed said Sunday in an interview that the party will go to court to cancel the supplementary election, describing it an illegality.
“This election is an illegality. Under the Electoral Act as amended there is no provision for a supplementary election and we are going to challenge it in court,” he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Chief Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winner of the governorship election in Anambra.
This followed the completion of the supplementary election in the state on Saturday in areas where election did not hold on November 16.
Declaring the result, the Chief Returning Officer of the election, Prof. James Epoke, said the APGA candidate scored 180,178 votes to win the election.
He said Mr Tony Nwoye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Sen. Chris Ngige of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 97,700 and 95,963 votes to emerge second and third respectively.
Mr Ifeanyi Ubah of the Labour Party came fourth with 37,495 votes, while Chief Godwin Ezeemo, candidate of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), clinched the fifth position with 5,120 votes.
Results from INEC showed that of the 1,776,167 registered voters in the state, 465,891 people were accredited while total votes cast was 442,242.
The results also showed that 16,988 votes were voided and valid votes were 425,254.
“To declare a winner, the candidate must score 25 per cent votes in two-thirds of local governments in the state, and having satisfied this condition, Obiano is now returned as winner,” the Chief Returning Officer said.