By Okey Maduforo Awka
There is heavy security presence in Anambra state ahead of the conduct of Supplementary Elections in Nnewi North , Nnewi South and Ekwusigo federal Constituency as well as Orumba North and South federal Constituency respectively on February 1st 2024.
Similarly security operatives have taken over formations at the border towns of the two federal Constituencies in Imo , Abia and local government areas close to those wards and polling units for the election.
According to the Anambra state Resident Electoral Commissioner Mrs Queen Elizabeth Agwu who spoke to reporters at the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC office Awka the Commission is working with security operatives to ensure free , fair and credible election in those affected areas.
“We wish to assure all and sundry that these Supplementary Elections would be free fair and credible and security operatives have taken over all the major flashpoints as well as the border Communities in Imo , Abia and areas close to the two federal Constituencies in Anambra state “
“Anybody that is not an electorate in the he affected polling units have no business coming or going there because a combine team of Policemen, soldiers and other sister security organizations are already on ground to take care of any security challenges that may arise though we don’t pry for it ” she said.
According to the REC the affected areas are Orumba North local government area that has 16 polling units with one ward and also Nnewi North that has four wards and five polling units making a total number of 21 polling units for the election.
Recall that Hon Uche Elodimuo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA was declared winner of the said election for Nnewi federal Constituency while Hon Chinwe Nnabuife of the Young Progressives Party YPP was declared winner for Orumba federal Constituency.
But consequent on the legal action filed by Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo of the PDP challenging the outcome of the election the Appeal Court ordered a Supplementary Election in Nanka ward 1 in Orumba North local government area.
Similarly the Appeal Court also ordered for a Supplementary Election in Nnewi North local government area where Uzokwe Peter Ifeanyi of the Young Progressives Party YPP scored a total of 25,333 votes and the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA Hon Uche Elodimuo scored a total of 25,071 but five polling units with four wards had irregularities hence the Supplementary Election in those areas.
