Obi Floors Soludo, Arthur Eze In Anambra

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Mr. Peter Obi has won in his own Anaocha local government area of Anambra State.

Obi’s LP scored 33, 695 votes to beat the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) Ahmed Bola Tinubu who polled 178.

However APGA got 468, PDP 584, NNPP 151, YPP 78 and ZLP 148 votes in the area.

According to the Electoral Officer in charge of the local government area, Prof. Sistine Pdu of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, the total number of registered was 113297, accredited voters were 36040, valid votes was 35472, invalid votes 535 while total valid votes cast was 36007.

The LP presidential candidate also floored Governor Chukwuma Soludo in his own Aguata local government area where he polled 37,478 votes. Soludo’s APGA scored 712 votes, APC got 301 votes, PDP got  522, YPP recorded 198 votes and ZLP got 146 votes.

The former governor of the state further silenced a popular businessman and PDP chieftain Chief Arthur Eze known as the Dunukofia local government area of Anambra State.

Recall that Soludo and Eze are believed to be part of the major critics and opposition against Obi’s ambition to contest for the number one seat in Aso Rock under the platform of the Labour Party.

The duo objected to the Obi presidency which they argued would not make a positive impact in the country and that it was not yet the turn of the Southeast for the plum job.

According to the results of the Presidential election from the 21 local government areas so far released in the state, Labour Party scored 18, 715 votes in Dunukofia LGA which Chief Arthur Eze’s political stronghold, his party the PDP polled 438 votes, Young Progressive Party (YPP) scored 56 votes, APGA polled 290 votes, APC scored 222 votes, NNPP 52 votes, ZLP 65 votes, among other parties.

Besides, a mild drama had disrupted the announcement of the Presidential Results at the headquarters of  INEC. in Awka the state capital as the INEC Collation Officer of the election in Nnewi South Professor Chinwe Isikpo of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University had after presentation of details of results in the area,raise the alarm that her life was being threatened by unknown men.

She was immediately whisked away and taken to an inner office of the INEC headquarters in the capital town, and out of reach of journalists who pressed hard to get details of her complaint.

According to Prof. Isikpo, “I want to tell the public that my life is being threatened by some people. They have been calling me with different numbers and some of them are here (INEC Collation Centre for the 2023 Presidential election). They have been following me up and down.”

She alleged that the Electoral Officer (EO) in charge of Nnewi South and some things were behind her travail during and after the polls.

The tense situation died down when the Collation Officer was taken upstairs of the INEC administrative office complex by the officials and security operatives, a development that forced the electoral officers led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)  Dr. Elizabeth Agwu to order for an hour break before the proceedings continued.

Investigations showed that there were heavy shootings in parts of Nnewi town which lasted for hours following the activities of hired political thugs loyal to two rival candidates for the National Assembly elections in the commercial town.

It has not been confirmed how many persons sustained gunshot wounds in the fracas and those arrested by the police during the incident.

Police Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command DSP Toochukwu Ikenga when contacted said the command was not aware of the incident.