Ballot-box Snatching, Presence Of Govt Appointees In Ogbaru Poll

Snatching of ballot boxes by thugs and missing of results sheets characterised the conduct of the supplementary election for Ogbaru federal constituency in Anambra State yesterday.

There was also the visible presence of top political appointees of the state government, including the special adviser on political matters to the state governor, Chukwuma Soludo, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, commissioner for local government, community and chieftaincy affairs, Hon. Tonycollins Nwabunwanne, as well as, his works counterpart, Mr. Ifeanyi Okeoma, among others.

The political appointees who are not residents of any of the wards housing the about 45 polling units where the make-up elections were held or voters in any of the polling units were given shield by security operatives to move round the voting areas.

Thugs suspected to be working for the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) were believed to be behind the snatching of the ballot boxes at polling units 021 and 052, Okpoko V1 where the result sheets were suspected to have been hijacked by the agents of the ruling APGA in the state.

Mrs Cordelia Enwerem, a voter at polling unit 052, Okpoko Ward V1 complained that INEC officials did not deploy voting materials in the area. When LEADERSHIP arrived the polling unit at about noon, no INEC official was sighted at the polling unit.

INEC officials cancelled the exercise at polling unit 019, Okpoko Ward 3 after thugs snatched the ballot box there immediately after voting ended and sorting of votes was about to commence.

Also, the polling unit located at Umueri town hall in Ward Okpoko Ward V1 was also invaded by thugs who made away with the ballot box.

Sorting of votes had commenced at polling unit 009, Okpoko Ward V before the Supervisory Polling Officer, SPO, came and stopped the exercise insisting that it should wait until 2.30pm official closing period for voting. Thugs were later to storm the polling unit and made away with the ballot box shortly after Dr. Obiogbolu and Okeoma arrived the area.