Despite Calls for Cancellation, Enugu LG Polls Hold
- Ugwuanyi votes, prays for peace
Gideon Arinze in Enugu
Despite calls for the cancellation of the Enugu State local government elections by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over alleged exclusion of the party, the exercise kicked off as scheduled across local government areas in the state.
Members of the party had last Tuesday gathered at the office of the state Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) to protest “the refusal by the commission to publish a list of 260 councilors and 17 chairmanship candidates forwarded to the electoral body in December 2021.”
The state Chairman of the APC, Ugochukwu Agballah, had declared that the party would void the election should the ENSIEC go ahead to hold the exercise, alleging that the ENSIEC decided to publish the list submitted by Ben Nwoye, a former suspended caretaker chairman of the APC.
As early as 9:30, however, voters already trooped out in their numbers to exercise their franchise, even as INEC officials and materials arrived at most polling units in good time.
At Amube polling unit in Orba Udenu council, the country home of the state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, accreditation and voting started at exactly 9:30 a.m., as voters turned out en masse to support their preferred candidates.
Ugwuanyi, who arrived at the venue amid cheers from his supporters, casted his vote at 11:58 a.m., and prayed for peaceful elections.
Voters, who took part in the exercise, described it as peaceful and very impressive, adding that there were no security threats, with 952 registered voters ready to vote.
Presiding officer at Amube ward 2,
Eze Cosmos, said over 100 people had voted at the time of this report.
