Anambra poll: INEC dismisses APC’s petition, holds supplementary

The supplementary election for the Anambra State governorship election will hold on November 30, 2013, the Independent National Electoral Commission has announced.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday evening, INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, said the Commission has reviewed the reasons being adduced by those calling for fresh election, saying total cancellation does not arise.
Jega said after careful consideration and thorough appraisal of the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State, the supplementary election option was in order and would go ahead as announced.
Jega said despite the lapses observed, the Commission was satisfied that the election was free, fair and peaceful, saying: “We are satisfied the conduct of the election was free, fair and peaceful and the evidences before us does not warrant cancellation.”
On the cases of many eligible voters who could not find their names on the voter’s register, the INEC chairman said the Commission did publicise that it would only use electronic register and advised people on what to do before the election.
According to him: “We publicised what people should do but if people did not do what they should do, it is regrettable.”
He however, regretted what happened in Idemili North Local Government Area, assuring that the Electoral Officer involved, Chukwujekwu Okeke, has been handed over to the police for investigation and further action.
The chairman also said internal inquiry is in progress to identify INEC staff that were responsible for the lapses noticed.
He said that “any staff found responsible would have to answer for it”.
He therefore, called on the people of Anambra State and indeed the stakeholders to cooperate with INEC to ensure that the supplementary election is hitch free and concluded as scheduled.
His words: “As Nigerians are disappointed with the Anambra election, we also as Commission are disappointed with the election.
“The situation in Idemili North is regrettable and we have handed over the electoral officer to the police for investigation.
“All the people involved in the electoral process have responsibility that elections are free, fair and credible.”
On the petition sent by the All Progressives Congress calling for the outright cancellation of the election, Prof. Jega said it was a repetition of all the allegations already raised by the party’s candidate, Dr. Chris Ngige, which the Commission had responded to.
He said: “We have received a petition from APC and I have asked a team to look at it but almost all the complaints that have been made in this petition were repetitions of the allegations already made by the APC candidate.
“So, there is nothing new in the APC petition to warrant cancellation.
“If the purpose of the petition is to convince us to cancel the election, honestly, there is no evidence to warrant the cancellation.”
Jega, however reassured that the 2015 elections would be better organised than the 2011 elections.