On Thursday (11th Nov 2021), reports that the Senator Andy Uba Campaign Organization had rejected the result of the just-concluded Anambra State Governorship election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which declared Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as winner hit headlines.

According to Jerry Ugokwe who is a spokesperson of the campaign organization of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State, alleged that the party had unanimously rejected the results of the elections.

According to him, "The candidate of the APC “Senator Andy Uba is a victim of widespread electoral fraud and manipulation by INEC in cohorts with the Willie Obiano regime and the security forces deployed to oversee the Anambra State Governorship Election."

Before we go further to peruse these spurious claims by the Andy Uba Campaign organization, it will be noteworthy to go down memory lane about the events that took place just before the elections proper were held.

Inasmuch as APGA in Anambra State was going through some internal crisis in recent times which is not out of place in any organization whether formal or political, the party was still able to hold up itself to prepare for the political arduous task ahead which was to retain its seat as the ruling party in the state.

In the midst of this, the party was hit by several bolts of defections from some members which included the deputy Governor of the State Dr Nkem Okeke who according to some insiders wanted Gov. Willie Obiano to hand over the ticket to him to contest as the sole gubernatorial candidate for APGA on a plaer of gold, a request which Obiano turned down.

According to some sources, this prompted the Deputy Governor to jump ship to APC after exhibition of some acts of insubordination and premeditated dereliction of duties as a show of grudge.

Dr. Nkem Okeke was not the only one who ditched APGA for APC but some law makers and political appointees working with the Governor which included some of his SAs and SSAs.

The lawmakers who defected were: Nonso Okafor representing Nnewi North, Timothy Ifedioramma representing Njikoka 1, Cater D. N. Umeoduagu representing Aguata 1, Lawrence Ezeudu representing Dunukofia, Arthur Chiekwu representing Idemmili North and Edward Ibuzo representing Onitsha North 2.

Some other grassroot party members under the Local Government level, a handful of "party unfaithfuls" working within the corridors of APGA internally in various wards also decamped to APC.

Jerry Ugokwe in another clownish remark opined that since all these above-mentioned people defected from APGA and some from PDP to APC, then it should be a sure guarantee that APC "should have won the election“.

In his own words, "It is inconceivable that our candidate, who polled over 200,000 votes in the APC primary election would be allocated a slightly above 43,000 votes by INEC."

We have these questions for Jerry Ugokwe himself which we wish he would answer which goes thus:

1. Does the defection of a handful of Obiano's aides reflect on the choice of the whole electorate in Anambra?

2. Are those defectors the only ones who voted during the election proper which gives APC the guarantee to clinch victory?

In our own view, the APC campaign organization are just overwhelmed with this resounding defeat which struck them like a bolt of lightning because they had high hopes that the elections will play out with INEC rigging it to their favor with the use of the so-called "Federal Might".

As for the defectors, we wonder what would be their fate as it stands presently.

One would wonder why they really jumped ship from the indigenous party which has held sway in Anambra State since it's origin in Anambra State?

The answer isn't far-fetched! GREED and WRONG PERMUTATIONS!!

There were certain "indicators" which was being touted in the camp of the APC prior to the elections which their members held as their trump card for victory which includes the fact that President Mohammadu Buhari and the APC zonal leader for South East Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo State are members of the ruling party so this was going to be a sure banker for victory in the polls.

Secondly, it was interesting to note that the trend of defections took top gear immediately after President Mohammadu Buhari's official visit to Imo State (a first of it's kind in recent times to the South East) which to them was an affirmation that Anambra was the next catchment area for APC to hoist their flag in the Southern region but they were wrong.

The indigenous people of Anambra made up of civil servants, traders, business men and women, artisans etc who are not even affiliated to anyone in the Agu-Awka Government House hold their allegiance to APGA and this they have demonstrated during the just concluded elections where APC didn't clinch a single vote in some polling units.

An instance was shown in a viral video where an APC agent was filmed as he shamelessly attempted to bribe some voters with the sum of N5,000 each to whoever was willing to vote for the "broom party".

An elderly woman with some other voters in a polling unit at Ukwulu in Dunukofia L.G.A booed the agent and told him pointblank that he and his party should keep their money as they have made their choice of candidate.

This goes to demonstrate that Anambrans in their unification are greater than the party stalwarts who defected to APC and the decision to elect their leaders is in their own hands and not the hands of a bunch of rag-tag politicians and party members who are after their own pockets!

The decision made by the campaign organization of the APC to head to the courts in a bid to challenge the results isn't out of place but we hope to remind them that there is something called "Locus Standi" in legal proceedings and most importantly what is known as the "Grounds for Petition" under the "Determination of Election Petitions Arising from Election" Section 134 Pt 7 of the Electoral Act No 4 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

We understand that All Progressive Coalition's defeat in Anambra State was so embarrassing and they are currently licking their wounds but while they are at it, we advice them do be objective and face the harsh reality rather than make spurious and unrealistic claims of an "utopian victory" in the polls where their defeat was very obvious even to the blind and resounding to the deaf!


Prince Chike
ANAMBRA VANGUARD GROUP (ANVAG)
Published for Anambra State Online

Only dillusional and myopic Nigerians will believe APC will win a free and fair election in most parts of Nigeria most especially in the East. 2015 APC Imo State win ended after Okorocha. Last last from 4th they won.

The ridiculous nature and spurious allegations of the Andy Uba APC just gives an idea of how this party insults the sensibility of sane people.

Please, who have a link where I can see the complete result by wards

I want to count how many Zeros APC got

Especially in Ihiala

Thanks