By Okey Maduforo, Correspondent
Ahead of the March 2016 fresh election to be conducted in Anambra Central Senatorial zone, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) was accused of holding secret meetings with officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja to select Returning Officers and polling agents from outside the state to conduct the exercise.
An Appeal Court judgment nullified the Anambra Central senatorial election and ordered that a fresh election should be conducted and thereby declared the victory of Senator Uche Ekwunife a nullity. The court further ordered INEC to conduct the fresh election within 90 days.
According to Anambra Central Forum (ACF), a group of influential intellectuals led by its Acting Chairman, Elder Maximus Udemba, “The ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance in Anambra State has been holding meetings with some INEC officials in order to select returning officers and other polling agents from the four other states of the south East including Delta, Edo and Akwa-Ibom states favourable to it to conduct the elections.
“We are also informed of an alleged petition by an APGA chieftain to INEC alleging that all officials and staff of the commission in Anambra State have compromised and should not be allowed to take part in the March 2010 fresh election.”
Udemba said that the forum is desirous of a free, fair and credible election and would resist any attempt by any political party to manipulate the electoral process. If APGA as a party feels that it is popular in Anambra, there is no need for them to go about petitioning and making malicious and undignifying allegations against officials and staff of INEC.
There is no need for them to spend weeks in Abuja trying to impose lists of returning officers on the electoral body. This indeed shows desperation and pettiness on the part of APGA. One wonders why APGA is afraid of going for fresh election when the Appeal Court vindicated them in its petition at the tribunal.
Reacting to the allegation, the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Barr Ifeatu Obikoye told reporters in Awka that there is no such body known as Anambra Central Forum, insisting that they are faceless.
“Such bodies are desperate people seeking recognition. They are faceless contrary to the issues they raised; you can agree with me that no political party in this country can dictate to INEC who they would use for election. They are merely flying a kite to whip up sentiments. We in APGA are not afraid of the election. The revered Hon Judges of the Appeal Court have delivered their judgment and we have no choice but to abide by it. So those who are afraid of going into this contest should go home and prepare, instead of crying wolf where there is none. Anambra is APGA state and that is the position,” he said.