All is set for today’s Anambra State governorship supplementary election in 210 polling units where the November 16 election was cancelled.

Speaking with newsmen late yesterday in the state capital, Awka, the State Resident Electoral Commission, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onubogu, assured that everything necessary had been done for the successful conduct of the election. “Election materials have been distributed to all officials and we have taken steps to ensure that there are no hitches,” he stated.

A large number of commercial buses being used to covey election materials were sighted driving in and out of the Awka state headquarters of the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) from around noon. The INEC office bubbled with life as ad hoc staff, apparently those that will be on duty today, collected their materials.

News Express recalls that the election was already successfully conducted in 4,398 of the state’s 4,608 polling units on November 16 and 17, with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Chief Willie Obiano, leading with 174,710 votes and securing 25% in 18 of the 21 local government areas of the state. Comrade Tony Nwoye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Chris Ngige of the All Progressives Congress (APC) came second and third with 94,856 votes and 92,300 votes respectively. Nwoye also secured 25% in nine local government areas, while Ngige secured 25% in seven local government areas.

The state returning officer in the election, Prof. James Epoke, Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, however, declined to declare Obiano winner because the margin with which h beat the runner-up, Comrade Nwoye, was less than 113,113 registered voters in the 210 polling units where the election was cancelled.

Areas where election will hold today are Idemili North Local Government Area, with the highest number of 160 cancelled polling units and a combined registered voters’ population of 89,997; four units in Ayamelum LG (1247 voters); one poling unit in Anambra East (250 voters); six units in Anambra West (2000 voters); one unit in Anaocha (276 voters); two units in Awka North (1356 voters); one unit in Aguata (310 voters); and one unit in Awka South (249 voters). Others include three units in Ekwusigo (884 voters); two units in Idemili South (800 voters); one unit in Onitsha North (484 voters); 17 units in Onitsha South (12299 voters); four units in Orumba North (588 voters); and four units in Oyi (1202 voters).

•Photo shows Anambra Resident Electoral Commission, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onubogu.

Update news