By Uche Amunike
Even though the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Prof Chukwuma Soludo is topping the charts presently, judging from the Anambra governorship election results announced so far, the outcome of the election in Ihiala Local Government Area which was rescheduled for November 13, will decide the fates of both Soludo and the PDP candidate, Valentine Ozigbo.
Recall that due to non arrival of election materials and some other irregularities, the election could not hold in Ihiala on Saturday. That was why the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had to postpone it to Sunday, but yet again, just yesterday, postponed it further to Saturday November 13.
Even though the Anambra governorship election results clearly show that APGA’s Prof Soludo has more or less, coasted to victory, the fear of the Poll being declared inconclusive without Ihiala local council seems likely because it has 148,407 registered voters on INEC’s list.
Soludo presently has 98,178 votes; Ozigbo of the PDP has 49,401 votes, while Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has 40,770 votes, judging from the Anambra governorship election results duly announced by the INEC.
It is clear that after the Anambra Government election results are announced at the end of the Ihiala polls, the outcome of that election might lead to either Valentine Ozigbo of the PDP or Andy Uba of the APC overtaking Soludo because of the available potential 148,407 votes available in the Local council.
In Idemili South Local Government Area, elections were not held at Oba Wards 1 and 2, including Akwukwu Ward which has no fewer than 40,000 registered voters.
INEC is still trying to decide whether to accept the result of Orumba North Local Government Area, considering that the collation officer claimed that he signed under duress. Orumba had 93,620 registered voters.
Judging from the Anambra Governorship election results gathered so far, if any of the candidates overtakes Soludo, it might lead to a runoff between the candidate and Soludo because neither APC nor PDP possesses the spread of at least 25% of votes in 14 Local Government Areas which make up two-thirds of the 21 Local Government Areas in the state.
As INEC rescheduled the election for November 13 2021, they sounded a note of warning to troublemakers to keep away from any venue where the election will hold in Ihiala Local Government Area.
According to the Anambra Governorship Election results, Soludo won in 17 Local Government Areas already, having lost in Nnewi North and Ogbaru. Valentine Ozigbo of the PDP won in Ogbaru, while Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the YPP topped the charts in Nnewi North. So, results from two Local Government Areas are currently being awaited. Point of note is that Ifeanyi Ubah is the only governorship candidate among the other 16, who delivered his local council.
In spite of all irregularities witnessed, the Anambra governorship election is still considered one of the most peaceful elections in recent times in the country.
