News Release: Disenfranchisement As A Tool Of Rigging!

We strongly reject the results and outcome of the inconclusive Anambra State governorship election which was meant to hold on November 16, 2013.The entire exercise was a sham from the onset as it was designed to favor the APGA candidate. Whatever result Professor Jega and his co-travelers have prepared is totally unacceptable and we condemn the attitude and shenanigans of the INEC chairman to that effect.

Thousands of Anambrarians were disenfranchised by INEC in a deliberate ploy to favor the ruling party in the state, APGA. The events of November 16 2013 in Anambra State was pre-planned and the system of rigging adopted is a trademark of the incumbent government in Awka, whereby they remove voters names from the registers in the strongholds of Chris Ngige, Ifeanyi Ubah and Tony Nwoye, in connivance with INEC and the late arrival of materials in those areas, non-payment of allowances of the National Youth Service Corps members on election duties as well as mix up result sheets in order to ensure that voting does not take place!

It is amazing that even the flag bearer of the PDP, Comrade Tony Nwoye, who only recently  voted in the last election, could not find his name in the voters register, the same register which was used in the 2011 elections.We see this as a deliberate ploy to humiliate the PDP candidate. Our people have been disenfranchised, authentic voters, who hitherto, had confirmed their names in the voters register could not cast their votes, whereas a candidate with double registration, an offence punishable by law, was cleared to contest and vote during the elections.

This is glaring proof that INEC has been compromised and coupled with the fact that an electoral officer was arrested and the INEC chairman admitted fraudulent practices by his staff during the election.

Based on the above, we hereby call for the total cancellation of the November 16, 2013 elections held in Anambra State and the immediate prosecution of the double registrants identified. We also call for the sack of Professor Onukaogu the controversial INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) who has no moral right to supervise elections going by his antecedents in previous elections. We declare that the election was a charade and we doubt the capacity and integrity of Professor Jega’s led INEC to conduct a free, fair and credible election in 2015, in view of the fact that they could not manage an election in one state. We call on the people of Anambra State to remain calm as we shall use all legal means possible to ensure the people of the state achieve equity and fairness in the gubernatorial elections in Anambra State.

Thank you and God bless the good people of Anambra State.

Signed:

Chimdi Nzewi

Coordinator

Organizing For Anambra State(OFAS)