Anambra guber: Ihiala LGA’s rescheduled election dangerous to democracy

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) owes explanations to the public for failure to send or assign officials to conduct a scheduled poll at Ihiala Local Government Area on 6th November which deprived the indigenes and residents the right to exercise their civic responsibility like other LGAs.

The alleged security threats given as reason is weak and absurd. President Muhammadu Buhari must ensure that his appointees live up to expectation particularly on election matters which is essential in any democracy.

If INEC could fail to assign officials to a whole LGA for a poll scheduled for one state, it suggests that the umpire under the present management cannot be trusted for a general election in 2023. Believably, the schemers had plotted to use Ihiala LGA as ground for evil plots against sacred wishes of Anambra people. Had it been the machines malfunctioned, it would be a genuine reason for not conducting the election in some polling units, but not for a whole LGA. The alleged ‘security threat’ is baseless, unfounded and incredible.

For INEC to deliberately fail to assign electoral officials and materials throughout the scheduled day of the poll to a whole local government area suggests that there was a conspiracy between the umpire and some politicians to use the LGA for a sinister motive. It is indeed sad and unbelievable that such thing could happen now when everyone had looked up to INEC for a credible, free and fair election.

There must be explanations on why and how an LGA that is not even within an island but across a federal highway and adjacent to Ozubulu, Nnewi where elections held freely could be excluded with the claim of security threat.

The commission must explain the nature of the threats and the towns in the LGA. Otherwise, it clearly shows it was a premeditated action to manoeuvre the outcome of the poll. So, INEC owes explanations and apologies to the people of Ihiala LGA.

Instructively, an election can only be rescheduled with a credible reason, and not rescheduling part of a poll that was meant to take place concurrently to a later date using the commission’s veto power without any just cause after announcing results. Thus, the umpire must ensure that the choice of Anambra people is in no way thwarted or manoeuvred by any means to avoid heightening the tension already ravaging the state over perceived intimidations from the centre.

Carl Umegboro sent this piece from Ihiala in Anambra State