francis.onyeukwu

<h1>The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the presidential election results in the 21 Local Government Areas of Anambra with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar polling 524, 738 votes.</h1>

Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), won in all the 21 council areas, while President Muhammadu Buhari’s APC emerged second with 33, 298 votes.

Prof. Francis Otunta, Vice Chancellor of the Michael Okpara University, Umudike, who served as INEC Collation Officer for the 2019 Presidential Election in Anambra released the results in the early hours of Tuesday in Awka.

Otunta stated that Mr John Gbor, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), scored 30, 034 votes to emerge third, with Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, the candidate of the Young Progressives Party polling only 4, 091 votes.

He stated that Anambra had a total of 2.389, 332 million registered voters, out of which 675, 273 were accredited for the Feb. 23 Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

Otunta stated that 605, 734 were the total number of votes cast at the poll, while 19, 301 votes were rejected.

According to Otunta; “the Anambra presidential election results, as collated, will be handed over to the INEC National Chairman in Abuja who will add it to others across the 36 states and the FCT, before the final announcement of the winner’’.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Dr Chris Ngige, APC presidential election agent in Anambra, staged a walkout before Otunta, flanked by INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji and others announced the result.

Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, protested the inclusion of results from some parts of Idemili North area in the Anambra presidential election results.

He insisted that there were reported cases of violence and disruption of the process which adversely affected the outcome of the exercise.

APC state chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, added that apart from Idemili North, four other council areas recorded problems which affected the exercise.

Dr. Obi Ogbolu, the state agent of the PDP in the Presidential election, said the party accepted the results tendered by the Police since the original copy was damaged by hoodlums.

NAN reports that Mr Rabiu Ladodo, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra, had earlier tendered duplicate copies of the Idemili North results given to the police by INEC.

Ladodo said the tendering of the duplicate copy of the results followed a request by INEC that its original copy was damaged by hoodlums during violence after the collation.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state had stated that the commission approached the police for their copy based on a relevant section of the Electoral Act.

Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), won in all the 21 council areas, while President Muhammadu Buhari’s APC emerged second with 33, 298 votes.

Atiku floors Buhari in Obi's Anambra with 524,738 votes

<h1>All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won four out of the eleven federal constituency polls in Anambra from results so far announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the National Assembly elections.</h1>

The party, however, lost the three Senatorial Districts elections, including Anambra Central seat, currently occupied by Sen. Victor Umeh, a former National Chairman of the party.

Umeh lost to his arch rival Sen. Uche Ekwunife of PDP, while Sen. Stella Oduah won Anambra North and Chief Ifeanyi Ubah emerged first senator-elect for Anambra South on the platform of the newly registered Young Progressives Party.

In the results announced by INEC in Awka on Monday, Chinedo Obidigwe of APGA won the Anambra East and Anambra West Federal Constituency.

Muoma Ifeanyi, the APGA candidate for Ihiala and the candidate for Orumba North and South, Okwudili Ezenwankwo as well as Oba Umeorji for Aguata Federal Constituency, won their elections.

One the other hand, Peoples Democratic party (PDP) candidates won in six federal constituencies, including; Nnewi North and South (Chris Azubuogu), Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia (Val Anyika), and Awka North and South (Sam Onwuaso).

Others are: Ogbaru Federal Constituency (Chu Chu Onyema), Onitsha North and South (Linda Ikpeazu) and Oyi/Ayamelu Federal Constituency (Vincent Ofumelu).

Idemili North and South Federal Constituency currently occupied by Rep. Obinna Chidoka (PDP) is the only area yet to be announced by INEC.

A political analyst described the outcome of the elections in Anambra as a departure from the November 2017 governorship election which Gov. Willie Obiano won.

”APGA won in all the 21 Local Government Areas of Anambra during the November 2017 election.

”What played out in Saturday’s election shows that APGA needs to sit up if it must remain politically relevant,” Mr Anayo Okoli, a political analyst said.

APGA wins 4 Reps polls in Anambra, loses 3 Senate contests

The party, however, lost the three Senatorial Districts elections, including Anambra Central seat, currently occupied by Sen. Victor Umeh, a former National Chairman of the party.

<h1>The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the distribution of sensitive materials for the conduct of Feb. 23 presidential and national assembly elections.</h1>

Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, INEC Resident Electoral Officer in Anambra, who supervised the exercise, said it was a repeat of what was done on Thursday, Feb. 14.

Orji said that the commission had received replacement for all card readers damaged by the fire which burnt INEC office storage facility on Feb. 12.

”On Tuesday, Feb. 12, fire incident affected INEC storage facility where smart card readers for 17 Local Government Areas were packed.

“Shortly after the fire was put out, we activated emergency recovery for card readers across the country and it was a successful exercise in that that evening, we started getting replacement for the card readers.

”By the next day being Feb. 13, we received card readers from 12 states and by Thursday of that week, we have completed configuration of all the card readers,’’ he said.

Orji said one implication of the fire incident was that INEC’s target of having more than 6,000 card readers would no longer be achieved.

”Our target was that of the 5,720 polling units, we will have extra two card readers for each ward, but with the fire incident we cannot meet that target.

”What we presently have is a total of 5,173 card readers which can cover a total of 4,608 polling units across the state with extra 264 card readers left,’’ he said.

He told party representatives, security personnel and media representatives at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Awka Office, that sensitive materials for the Feb. 23 exercise were complete.

He noted that logistics for conveying the materials to the 21 local government areas, including security guards, had been arranged.

Orji said INEC was ready to oblige any party willing to cross-check the materials and gave an assurance that the materials were intact.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC Electoral Officer for Anambra East was the first to take delivery of the sensitive materials from CBN, Awka, at about 11.43 a.m., accompanied by security personnel.

INEC distributes sensitive materials in Anambra

Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, INEC Resident Electoral Officer in Anambra, who supervised the exercise, said it was a repeat of what was done on Thursday, Feb. 14.

<h1>Crisis has hit the Anambra East Local Government Traditional Rulers Council, following the suspension of a member for alleged violation of their Kolanut Code.</h1>

The Chairman of Anambra East Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Alex Edozieuno confirmed that his council recently suspended Igwe Benneth Emeka, the tradition ruler of Umueri Community for violation of the code of conduct on kolanut breaking.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Igbo communities living in the five South-East states of Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Anambra and part of Rivers and Delta states highly respect kolanut by performing ritual like prayers before its breaking during gatherings.

Edozieuno told NAN today at Otuocha, the headquarters of Anambra East that Emeka’s six months suspension was sequel to his misconduct on Jan. 29, 2019 during the thank you visit of Gov. Willie Obiano to the area.

According to him, before the enthronement of Igwe Beneth Emeka less than two years ago, Anambra East Traditional Rulers Council has Code of Conduct which contains the order of kolanut breaking during functions.

“In page five Code number four, it is clearly stated that the right rests on the chairman of the council or any other traditional ruler he shall nominate to perform the function.

“But it is quite sad that since Igwe Emeka emerged the traditional ruler of his community, he has severally violated the kolanut breaking code,’’ he said.

Edozieuno, who said he is 16 years on the throne, claimed that the day Gov. Obiano performed the ground breaking ceremony of Anambra Airport project and the date World Bank team visited the area, Emeka conducted himself in bad taste on the kolanut code.

“It is in furtherance to his condemnable behaviour on a highly treasured tradition on kolanut which he also exhibited by hijacking the plate of kolanut being presented to Gov. Obiano on Jan. 29, at Otuocha Stadium, that landed him the suspension,’’ he said.

Edozieuno said that within the six months suspension period, the members of the council expected that Emeka should be given adequate orientation by his people before he rejoins the body.

Reacting, Igwe Benneth Emeka dismissed the claim of his suspension by Edozieuno-led local government council of traditional rulers in the area.

According to him, the purported suspension is the figment of the imagination of Igwe Alex Edozieuno of Mkpu-Nando, Aguleri Out, whose community is about 200 kilometers away from Otuocha.

“Igwe Edozieuno acted like a sole administrator and an emperor by unilaterally issuing what he tagged suspension letter to me just two days after the event that followed the kolanut breaking issue during Obiano’s visit on Jan. 29.

“During the occasion, kolanut was presented and being traditional ruler of Umueri where Otuocha Stadium is located, I collected the kolanut and performed the necessary ritual before breaking it.

“It was rather an embarrassment to me and my community that Edozieuno began to publicise the issue barely two days after the council in Anambra East met over what he tagged suspension letter to me,’’ he said.

Emeka argued that before a traditional ruler could be suspended that such a person must have been tried by a disciplinary committee in his area which will thereafter transmit its position to the state council of traditional rulers for ratification.

“After such ratification, the state council shall then forward its recommendations to the state governor who has the constitutional mandate to issue certificate of recognition to every traditional ruler in the state for action,’’ he said.

Emeka maintained that no such protocol was followed before the alleged suspension, adding that he had equally slammed two years suspension on Igwe Edozieuno.

“Edozieuno should face two years suspension because his purported suspension action negates a superior rule in the state on kolanut, because everywhere in Igbo communities it is the traditional right of the host to present kolanut and break same for his visitors,’’ he added.

Meanwhile, the Umueri National Youth Forum has issued a statement condemning the alleged suspension of their traditional ruler by Edozieuno, warning of dare consequences if the action is not vacated.

Mr Chibuzor Ekwenye, President, Umueri National Youth Forum, who signed the statement called on Gov. Obiano to caution Edozieuno as the body would not fold its hands and watch the reputation of their traditional ruler being messed up.

“We call on the Anambra East Traditional Rulers Council to sanction Igwe Edozieuno for over-stepping his boundaries and for this his ill-conceived action capable of causing breaking down of law and order in the area,’’ he said.

Crisis hits Anambra Traditional Rulers Council over breaking of Kolanut

The Chairman of Anambra East Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Alex Edozieuno confirmed that his council recently suspended Igwe Benneth Emeka, the tradition ruler of Umueri Community for violation of the code of conduct on kolanut breaking.

<h1>President Muhammadu Buhari says that East to North corridor of the railway project will commence as soon as he returns to office for second term.</h1>

Buhari made the pledge during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign rally in Onitsha on Thursday.

Buhari said the railway would start from Port Harcourt through Owerri, Nnewi, Enugu and Ebonyi before moving to Maiduguri.

The president said the people of South-East should trust and vote him and all APC candidates in the upcoming elections adding that it was the same manner they came in 2015 and assured the people of several projects which were being done in the area.

"During our 2015 campaign, we promised we will do the second Niger Bridge, construct roads, provide security and ensure the economy is better."

"Today, we are doing all that we said, we have even completed work on Ziks Mausoleum and other projects," he said.

Buhari said that his administration had done his best in tackling the menace of insecurity, saying that the Boko Haram elements no longer controlled any part of the North East.

Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of APC charged the people of the state to massively vote for the party to avoid what he claimed was allocation of votes that took place during the 2015 polls in Anambra.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige said that 300, 000 school children were currently enjoying federal government school feeding programme in the state.

Ngige also said that 15, 000 Anambra people are beneficiaries of N-Power programme, and assured that the state would vote for Buhari and other APC candidates.

NAN reports that Amaechi had earlier told the gathering that the federal government will commence work on East/North railway corridor as soon as Buhari returns for second tenure.

Buhari said the railway would start from Port Harcourt through Owerri, Nnewi, Enugu and Ebonyi before moving to Maiduguri.

Buhari pledges to commence East/North railway line if re-elected

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