APC Pulls Out of Sunday Re-Run Election, Says it is A Carricature to Disenfranchise its Supporters

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has pulled out of the re-run election rescheduled to hold in 65 polling units today.

The candidate of the party in the election, Dr Chris Ngige made the disclosure in a world press conference addressed in Awka on Sunday saying the election is a caricature by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliberately disenfranchise the supporters of the party.

Ngige frowned at the haste at which INEC fixed the re-run election on a Sunday when people are expected to fulfil their religious obligations and preparations for the re-run not convincing that it will be credible.

He also spoke generally about the election where he alleged that the exercise was marred by several electoral malpractices ranging from withdrawal of the original voters register, non-provision of electoral materials to his stronghold of Idemili North and South as well as Akwa South and deliberate disenfranchisement of his supporters.

The APC had yesterday said it was totally astonished to learn that INEC has confirmed that materials meant for Idemili North Local Government, which has 180,000 voters, have been hijacked, without saying who hijacked the ballot papers and why.

The party therefore calls on INEC to extend the areas in which the re-run election will be conducted.

INEC had yesterday rescheduled the election in 65 polling units in Obosi, Idemili local govt.

The commission said in a statement in Awka that the election would hold in the area on Sunday.

“Due to serious logistics and related challenges, the INEC wishes to inform all political parties, the electorate and the general public that it has rescheduled the election for Obosi Registration Area of Idemili North Local government Area.

“The election in the ward will now take place tomorrow, Sunday, 17th November, 2013 in all the 65 polling units,’’ the statement signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra state, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, said.

Meanwhile, reports reaching us indicate that the re-run election in the 65 polling units is already witnessing hitches. While many of the voters are crying that as Christians, they should be in church to fulfil their religious obligations, the officials of INEC are said to be absent in most of the centres.

A lady who spoke to our correspondent said the conduct of the election on a Sunday has killed the spirit of voters. She cried that she did not see anybody in her polling unit where she had gone to vote.

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