Ahead of the November sixth Anambra governorship election, political parties participating in the exercise have warned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to distance self from any shady deals capable of subverting the will of electorate.
In an open letter to INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu today, 10th September 2021 after deliberations in Awka, fourteen of the political parties, among other things, maintained unequivocal condemnation and rejection of any attempt by the Commission to use Owerri, the Imo State capital as what they called “staging-base for the rigging” of Anambra governorship election, and vowed to use everything within their means to resist such attempt.
The letter signed by Chairmen of the political parties, including the Anambra State Chairman and Secretary of Inter Party Advisory Committee, IPAC, Messrs Uchenna Ugwuoji and Eminent Uzochukwu, recalled that the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, was quoted in the media to have boasted that “the All Progressives Congress (APC) would deploy all means, both seen and unseen to win the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State”.
The political parties further alleged that reported clandestine recruitment of INEC – Adhoc Staff from tertiary institutions and Universities domiciled in Imo State for the conduct of the Anambra governorship election further lends credence to the rigging plans, in addition to what they termed “curious and most outlandish the decision” of INEC to use its facility in Owerri, for storage of non-sensitive materials meant for the exercise over destruction of the Commission’s office in Anambra State.
They urged the Commission to use the Anambra State branch of the Central Bank in Awka for storage of materials, even as they recommended the use of the new Anambra State International Cargo and Passenger Airport at Umueri, Anambra State to convey INEC materials, among others.