- Anambra election fraught with a lot of short-comings, says Ozigbo
By Emma Ogbuehi
As the reality of the outcome of the Anambra State governorship election begins to sink in, the candidates in the poll are beginning to weigh their options and determine the path to tread.
As for Valentine Ozigbo, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who despite being a first timer in politics made a very impressive showing by coming second in the race, this is a time to go back to the drawing table to restrategise and recommit himself to the task of rebuilding the party and helping in move Anambra forward.
But before doing that, Ozigbo has congratulated the governor-elect, Prof Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
He however carpeted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security operatives for their roles during the exercise.
READ ALSO: My conversation with Obi on Anambra election
But he gave no indication of heading for the courts to challenge the outcome, thereby bucking the trending.
The PDP candidate polled 53,807 votes to Soludo’s 112,229 votes to emerge second while Senator Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was third with 43,285 votes.
Ozigbo, in his statement in Awka, said the Anambra election was fraught with a lot of shortcomings.
“I have just called Professor Chukwuma Soludo and congratulated him on being declared the winner of the Anambra State governorship elections, 2021. I wished him well and prayed for his success.
“This election was fraught with a lot of short-comings on the part of various government institutions. The security agencies failed to provide a peaceful environment for campaigns to hold.
READ ALSO: President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates Soludo
“On Election Day, they were absent from many polling centres leading to elections not holding or held in situations that allowed for chaos and fraud.
“The national electoral commission presented untrained and poorly trained staff who could not operate the voting machines in many places.
“They failed woefully in providing logistical support for their staff and so elections started very late in many places and did not hold in many others.
“The use of government funds and resources to corrupt, coerce, and intimidate voters, PDP party agents and electoral officials was a major factor in determining the outcome of this election.
“All of these led to the disenfranchisement of the greater percentage of voters and staining the course of democracy.
“I will be dedicating time to champion the positive change we need to ensure that future elections are truly free and fair and that the will of the electorate prevails.
“Denominational politics was also a factor. We need to do a lot more to ensure that competence is never sacrificed on this altar, and that democracy is practised in line with its truest tenets.
“In all, I am more determined to working for a better future for our children by remaining in active politics and rebuilding our party to be more united and more robust for those who come after us. Ka Anambra Chawapu,” Ozigbo said
