LAST IMO RERUN POLLS IN REVIEW
The last time I checked, the long awaited
rerun polls in Imo State, which were targeted to produce respected individuals
to represent Oru-East, Owerri-West and Isiala-Mbano State constituencies in the
Imo House of Assembly as well as Imo-North Senatorial District in the National
Assembly, successfully held on Saturday 23rd July 2016 as scheduled
by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Though the conduct of the overall polls
was free, fair and credible in spite of failure of some of the Smart Card
Readers used during the exercise, likewise Oru-East State Constituency, the
results for that of Imo-North Senatorial District alongside Isiala-Mbano State
Constituency were declared inconclusive by the INEC Returning Officer, Prof Arinze
Agbogu considering that the votes cast in (15) polling units in the entire area
were cancelled; and statistics show that the affected booths have a total of about
thirteen thousand (13,000) registered voters to its credit.
Aside
Oru-East State Constituency, for the two major contending political parties in
Imo-North Senatorial District – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the results for the said inconclusive polls as
regards the six existing LGAs in the district read thus, “Okogwe: APC - 9,355,
PDP – 4,343; Onimo: APC – 3,630, PDP – 3,850; Ihitte Uboma: APC – 10,171, PDP –
5,184; Obowo: APC – 13,401, PDP – 6,641; Ehime Mbano: APC – 5,795, PDP –
13,048; Isiala Mbano: APC – 6,569, PDP – 7,076; totaling: APC – 48,921, PDP –
40,142”, thereby made the APC’s candidate, Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu to lead his
PDP’s counterpart or his immediate rival – Chief Athan Achonu with 8,779 votes
margin.
However, it was gathered that only one electoral
ward named ‘Osuachara’ in Isiala-Mbano LGA out of the total of sixty-four (64)
existing wards in the senatorial district that was actually affected by the
“cancellation”. Owing to this outcome, several wailers coupled with aggrieved
members and supporters of the then leading party – the APC, lamented that the
INEC didn’t get it right by declaring the election “inconclusive”. According to
them, “just a ward” ought not to be a tangible reason for declaring an election
that successfully took place in the other 63 wards in the district
inconclusive.
People really need to be properly orientated
and guided on how this thing is being done constitutionally. In accordance with
the Electoral Act, an election is said to be inconclusive when/if the total
number of registered voters in the area where election couldn’t take place or
was cancelled, as the case may be, supersedes the figure of the margin between
the two leading contenders; it has nothing to do with the number of wards,
booths or polling units that were affected, as being presumed. In this case,
the total number of registered voters in the affected area was 13,000 whilst
the figure of the margin between the two leading contenders was 8,779; this
apparently signified that the said election truly deserved to be declared
inconclusive since the former (13,000) is greater than the latter (8,779).
It
is done that way, because there’s tendency of the second candidate emerging
victorious if the remaining or supplementary polls eventually took place as rescheduled
by the electoral umpire. The arithmetic is obvious and understandable. As a
result of lack of orientation or ignorance, people or the concerned electorate
are usually fond of pointing accusing fingers at INEC whenever an election is
declared inconclusive. In view of this assertion, there’s a compelling need for
holistic awareness cum sensitization among the electorate to be organized by
the INEC.
I
have no qualms as regards the reason for the inconclusiveness. My only question
is: why was the voting in the polling units in question cancelled? I reliably
learnt there was over-voting. If I’m to go by such information, I would ask;
what resulted to the so-called over-voting? Even if there was “No voting/election”
at the area, what actually prompted it? Does it imply that the security
personnel posted to the area didn’t act as expected or were incapacitated?
These are pertinent queries that must be attended to for posterity sake.
To
this end, the INEC ought to apply caution subsequently towards ensuring that no
area or booth is sidelined while an election is occurring, not just in issues
concerning Imo State but Nigeria at large. It’s no doubt disheartening that
after all the time spent, the awaited election was still declared inconclusive.
If such lapse had to do with logistics issue, the commission shouldn’t leave
any stone unturned toward an effective and efficient preparation. In regard to
security challenge, the relevant law enforcement agencies ought not to be
reminded on how best to handle it.
Another
headache I had with the rerun polls was when I got informed that the INEC
returning officer for the Oru-East State Constituency election reportedly
claimed that he announced election results under ‘duress’. Probably some guns
or weapons were pointed at him, or…? I sincerely couldn’t fathom where such
ridiculous claim came from. I personally observed the election in question, and
saw how successful everything went. How could an electoral official be placed
under duress when there were several law enforcement agents around to protect
his life or welfare? Such amusing claim was equally not unlike telling
Nigerians that the security personnel posted to the area were lobbied to act
otherwise contrary to their statutory functions.
Notwithstanding, I deeply appreciate the
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Nasir Ayilara for
ensuring that the supplementary polls took place the following week, precisely
on Thursday 28th July 2016, without further ado. Such step was
indeed commendable because the uncertain fate of the affected areas or electorate
was seriously telling on them. It’s worth noting that the final total results
for the two major contending political parties in the Imo-North Senatorial
District – the APC and the PDP, were 56,076 and 43,815 votes respectively,
thereby making Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu of the APC to merge victorious with a
margin of 12,261 votes. Chief Nkenna Nzeruo of the APC equally emerged as the
winner in that of the Oru-East State Constituency alongside his APC counterpart
in Isiala-Mbano, Chief Collins Chiji.
I candidly appreciate all the bodies involved
that made the election a success to include the INEC, the police and other
security agencies, having done the needful during the polls. I specially commend
the electorate for comporting themselves as long as the elections lasted.
Unlike before, no iota of violence was recorded across the state and its
environs; it’s indeed a way forward and a step in the right direction. We have
proven to other states that we are now wise socio-politically, and that it’s no
longer business as usual. I encourage us to keep it up and endeavour to
maintain the tempo or do more in subsequent times.
Meanwhile, as much as I plead with the
aggrieved parties to trade with caution toward peace sustenance, I equally appeal
to the apt quarters to swear in the victors of the concluded polls without
hesitation. Undoubtedly, the concerned electorate had already suffered an
untold hardship so far, thus further delay might warrant an unspeakable crisis.
Think about it!
Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor
(TheMediaAmbassador)
-Researcher, Blogger,
Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-
Executive
Director, Centre for Counselling, Research
&
Career Development - Owerri
_____________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056
Twitter:
@mediambassador
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