Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area, Anambra State – Kinsmen of former Anambra State Governor and immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Dr. Chris Ngige, staged a massive protest on Monday, decrying alleged disenfranchisement by the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) during the recent Local Government Election.
Over 500 protesters, predominantly from Alor Ward 1, gathered at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church Field in Umuokwu Village, Alor, to express their discontent.
They claimed that armed security operatives and politicians intimidated them, preventing them from voting for their preferred candidate.
The protesters alleged that election materials were incomplete, and voting did not take place in Alor Ward 1, which comprises three villages: Umuokwu, Uruezeani, and Ide – the village of Senator Ngige.
The protesters displayed placards with various inscriptions, including “ANSIEC fix a new date to conduct LGA Election in Alor Ward 1”, “ANSIEC, Governor Soludo come and conduct LGA election for us”, “What was Police and Army doing on Saturday at all polling units in Alor Ward 1?”, “Armed security men at Alor Ward 1 Polling Units made us boycott the Anambra State LGA election”, “Incomplete election materials, no voting in Alor Ward 1”, and “Alor Peoples Convention leadership has become partisan”.
Chief Ikechukwu Nwafor-Awa, Chairman of Igboeze International Association Nigeria and the Diaspora, addressed the protesters, stating that what happened on Saturday has never occurred in the community’s history since 1979.
He emphasized that Senator Ngige, who votes in Alor Ward 1, has never used armed security operatives to intimidate voters.
“We waited for ANSIEC officials, who arrived around 10 am, but without Booth 3 of Okwu Memorial Primary School and its election materials, Booth 1 and its election materials for Nkwo Ide Square, and Booth 6. These booths have the highest votes for all parties,” Nwafor-Awa said.
“We were surprised to see the President General of the community and member representing Idemili Constituency in the State House of Assembly storming the Ward with armed police men, soldiers, and hooded vigilante operatives.
“We became intimidated and left the election venues, as nobody voted until the time for election was over.”
Nwafor-Awa further stated that Senator Dr. Ngige, who was a former governor of the state and immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, votes in this Nkwo Ide Square, Alor Ward 1, and all the time he voted, he never used Army or Police or hooded security operatives to come and vote.
“What happened here on Saturday was an affront to Senator Ngige and us, and we will not accept it,” he declared.
Other aggrieved electorate, including Mrs. Chinwendu Arinzechi, Mrs. Rose Egbe, Mr. Ugochukwu Aniefuna, and Mr. Ifedilichukwu Nwose, vowed to contest the result in court, citing that the election was not conducted.
The protesters demanded a new election date, urging Governor Soludo and ANSIEC to ensure that the electoral process is free and fair. They warned against declaring a winner in an election that was not conducted.
The Anambra State Local Government Election has been marred by controversy, with allegations of electoral malpractices and disenfranchisement.
The protest by Ngige’s kinsmen adds to the growing concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in the state.
