Protest in Anambra over manipulation of APGA primaries results

Members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State have called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to reinstate the nomination of Innocent Ojike (OJICAM) in the May 23 primary elections for Oyi State constituency.

APGA members numbering no fewer than 1,000 marched from the Anambra House of Assembly to the New Government House on Friday.

The placards bore various inscriptions including “OJICAM the real winner”, “OJICAM’s mandate cannot be stolen”, “Soludo listen to the cry of the Oyi people” and “Stop the subversion of democracy”.

Others were “Democracy must prevail in APGA”, “APGA Oyi rejects second house of assembly” “Let truth prevail in APGA”, “OJICAM is our choice” Oyi says no to electoral manipulation” “Do not destroy APGA in Oyi” among others.

Mr Uchenna Oraegbunam, APGA Auditor, said they were protesting against what they consider to be a normal subversion of the collective desire of the majority of party members in the constituency.

Oraegbunam said the real-time results were declared counted on the spot, but were later canceled and declared with frivolous figures, awarded to the person who lost.

He said accreditation and voting for the National Assembly and the State House of Assembly were done on the same day, but some party officials decided to “fraudulently alter the figures and reverse their choice.”

“The winner of Oyi constituency was declared immediately after the election but another declaration was made two days later.

“In Nteje 4 ward, my ward, Ojike got 179 votes and his opponent 45 but when the second declaration was made, we found that his opponent was awarded 425 while only 230 were credited.

“This is not our vote, it is not the will of our people, we demand evidence of this result and we demand our sitting governor to investigate this manipulation and ensure that the people’s mandate is restored,” he said.

Also, Dr Innocent Ugwor, a lawyer, who voted in Nteje District 5, said they went into the election with the assurance of the party leadership that the operation would be open, free and fair.

Ugwor said in his ward, Ojike polled 317 votes ahead of his opponent who polled 136 votes as declared by the returning officer, but in the final stage of collation, the opponent was given over 420 votes while Ojike polled 90 votes.

“We are here to tell the governor that there was a high level of voter fraud orchestrated by people who do not have the party’s best interests at heart,” he said.

Addressing the peaceful protesters, Dr. Vincent Okechi, Soludo’s Deputy Chief of Staff, commended them for their peaceful conduct and assured them that their complaints would be looked into.

Okechi said Soludo was clear about his neutrality in the direct primary elections and encouraged them to document their complaint to the party leadership and the governor for consideration.