The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has blamed the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, for the poor turnout of voters during the inconclusive Anambra State governorship election.

INEC said the sit-at-home order by IPOB sent fear into residents, hence the low turnout during the polls.

Sam Egwu, INEC’s Supervising Residence Electoral Commissioner in Anambra State, disclosed this while featuring on Channels Television.

“There is a whole state of fear that has been created by the politics of agitation for a separate state in this part of the country.

“IPOB has been able to enforce the sit-at-home order over time. So the fear of IPOB has become the beginning of wisdom.

“We have had a problem with extremely low voter turnout. The voter turnout, I think, if you are scientific in terms of what we are seeing in many local governments, you are actually dealing with less than 25 percent voter turnout, and this is not really good for our democracy,” he said.

Prior to the Anambra State governorship election, there was fear over the sit-at-home order by IPOB.

Amid the fear, IPOB had said the sit-at-home order was to prevail on the Federal Government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

However, the group cancelled the order a few hours to the commencement of the election.

IPOB had urged residents of the state to come out and cast their votes without fear.

Also, the government had sent over forty thousand security personnel this the people considered too much, compared to what the government planned it to be – a clash was highly expected by the people, thereby making many schedule their own sit-at-home.

Inconclusive

Meanwhile, the Returning Officer of the Anambra State governorship election, Professor Florence Obi, said that a supplementary election will hold in 362 polling units in Ihiala Local Government Area on Tuesday, November 9.

INEC, had announced the postponement of the governorship election in Ihiala Local Government Area, following alleged irregularities discovered in most communities in the council area.

Citing the constitution, Prof. Obi noted that election had to take place in those polling units for the election to be conclusive.

The announcement was made during collation on Sunday by the officer in charge, Ahmadu Umar.

According to him, there were 148,407 registered voters in the LGA, yet there was no election in the council area on Saturday due to the activities of some politicians who tried to rig the election.

The exercise has been rescheduled to hold on Saturday, November 13, 2021, as the INEC official warned trouble makers to steer clear of all the venues where the election will hold in the Ihiala Council area.

Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C Don Adinuba, had alleged that a politician in the area and his group had tried to rig the election.

He noted that some of the hoodlums have been arrested by security agents in the area.

Meanwhile, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, leads with a total vote of 103, 946.

The final result is as follows:

A – 1793
AA – 76
AAC- 580
ADC – 313
ADP – 743
APC – 42942
APGA – 103946
APM – 288
APP – 133
BP- 173
LP- 2697
NNPP – 111
NRM – 207
PDP – 51322
PRP – 428
SDP – 782
YPP – 20917
ZLP – 2070.

Total valid votes: 229521
Rejected votes: 7841
Total votes cast: 237362