After weeks of intense campaigns by governorship candidates from 23 political parties, the 1,784,536 registered voters in Anambra State will today decide who will administer the affairs of the state for the next four years.
Today's election, which is seen as a straight contest between the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), has 23 candidates contesting to succeed incumbent Governor Peter Obi.
To ensure a hitch-free election, all entry points into the state would remain closed as from 6pm Friday to Sunday. Already, security had been beefed up at the Asaba, Onitsha boundary and Enugu, Awka boundary and the Oguta boundary.
The commercial city of Onitsha was calm as Police and other security agencies were seen patrolling the streets. Also, people were seen making last minute purchases, as the markets and all commercial outlets would be closed today, while movement would also be restricted.
Though, campaigns have officially ended in line with the Electoral Act, last minute door to door campaigns were still noticed by THISDAY.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC said the commission was ready for the election, as issues of logistics had been addressed, including the challenges of the riverine areas in the Ogbaru and Anam areas. The Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, told THISDAY said that today's election would be an improvement on the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
Addressing a meeting of stakeholders at the Women Development Centre Awka, on Wednesday, INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega disclosed that arrangement had been concluded to provide unique result sheets in each polling booth, saying it will no longer be the case where INEC staff move one result sheet from one polling booth to another.
Also speaking, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubarkar, said that each of the three senatorial zones would be under a Commissioner of Police accompanied by 120 armed mobile police men.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, warned candidates, voters and party supporters to refrain from electoral offences so as not to incur the wrath of the law.
Even though there are 23 candidates contesting in today's election, analysts have highlighted four of the candidates as frontrunners - Chief Willie Obiano (APGA); Senator Chris Ngige (APC); Comrade Tony Nwoye (PDP), and Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah (LP).
Obiano served as an Executive Director of Business Banking at Fidelity Bank Plc, having started his banking career with First Bank of Nigeria in 1981 from where he moved to Texaco Nigeria plc as an Accountant.
Nwoye, just 38, was elected President of the National Association of Nigerian Students in 2003, a platform believed to have propelled his chairmanship of the party in 2005 when he was just 31 years old.
Ngige is a medical doctor. He started his career as a civil servant and served at the National Assembly and State House clinics at different times.
Ubah, born on September 3, 1971, is the owner of Capital Oil and Gas.But on the eve of the election, APC raised alarm over the arrest of election monitors from Osun State who were labeled thugs. The party said the action of the police amounted to acting out the script of the PDP for today's election.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the report that a 'crack team' of the police in Imo State had arrested 180 'armed hoodlums carrying fake voters cards, official identity cards of INEC and independent observer identity cards' was nothing but tales by the moonlight.
Also a statement issued by APC's lawyer, Festus Keyamo, insisted that the detained people were INEC-accredited election monitors.
The party, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said the arrest of 181 heavily armed political thugs from APC controlled Imo State ready to be deployed to Anambra, had 'clinically' exposed APC’s plot to cause mayhem and unleash violence during the election.
The voting pattern is today’s election is expected to be very interesting. Starting with the Omambala region which has four local government areas of Oyi, Aghamelum, Anambra East and West and with a total voting capacity of about 243,000. These votes are likely to be shared between the PDP and APGA, with the PDP garnering more.
Still in Omambala, the APC may also secure some good votes, particularly from Anambra West, where Ngige's running mate, Hon. Ralph Okeke, holds sway as a two-time member of the House of Representatives and local government chairman.
The battleground is the three local government areas of Onitsha South and North and Ogbaru- all in Anambra North- and with the voting capacity of 379, 000. It is going to be free for all the candidates with the APC maintaining considerable lead, followed by APGA and then, the PDP in that order.
The battle in Anambra Central will be interesting because it is the same zone that produced Ngige as a Senator as well as Obi and Chief Victor Umeh, the APGA chairman. But again, Ngige is believed to stand a better chance because of his Idemili South and North with the highest voting strength in the state, in addition to the fact that he is a political prince. The voting strength from the two local government areas is put at about 258,000.
A no-go-area for other parties other than APGA is Anaocha, the birthplace of Obi which has the voting capacity of 76, 000. Without doubt, it would go the way of APGA because of Obi. But Njikoka, Dunukofia, Awka North and South may be shared amongst the candidates, also with Ngige commanding impressive victory including in Awka North. Here, the voting Strength is 232,000.
In Anambra South, it is going to be tough because of Nnewi North which is the home town of Ubah and where he commands good following. But traditionally, Ngige has always won the place. The voting capacity for Nnewi North and South is 169,000.
The scenario is also same in Nnewi South where Mr. Nicholas Ukachukwu, a governorship hopeful in the PDP has great influence. With his support conceded to Nwoye, the battle will be fierce with other parties. Other forces whose influence may count here for the PDP include Chief Cletus Ibeto in Nnewi North and Chief Emeka in Ekwusigo.
Voting in Ihiala with a capacity of 113,000 votes is likely to stream the way of APGA while in the old Aguata which comprises Aguta, Orumba North and Orumba South, the voting may be neck-and-neck with the major parties. Although APGA won the area in 2010, the fact that alliances have changed makes the area an APC stronghold
Source: Thisday
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