Anambra Poll: CNPP demands Jega’s resignation

The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, has demanded the
immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, for allegedly conducting
what it described as a "sham election" in Anambra State last Saturday.
The group also called for total cancellation of the governorship
election in the state.
INEC had on Monday morning declared the November 16 governorship
election in the South Eastern State "inconclusive", saying it did not
produce a clear winner.
The declaration came a day after it conducted re-run in 65 wards in
Obosi, Idemili North, where it said the exercise was sabotaged on
Saturday.
CNPP, in a statement on Monday by its spokesperson, Osita Okechukwu,
said Mr. Jega had not only betrayed the electorate in Anambra State,
but also Nigerians in general for conducting an election that did not
meet their expectations.
"We are making this call on the fact that the eminent Professor Jega
from available records bungled the single Anambra State gubernatorial
election; and this being the case, what is the guarantee that he will
not bungle the 2015 general elections?" the group added.
"We were perplexed that up till this Monday morning when the gross
irregularities were clearly made public by the Returning Officer,
Professor James Okuoke resulting in the declaration of the result as
inconclusive and cancellation of 113,113 votes; Professor Jega
behaving like a hired hand on a television interview Sunday afternoon
had sort to defend INEC and its failed exercise.
"Jega to our consternation was nervously harping on only 65 Polling
Units in Obosi Electoral Ward, even when by his own admission the INEC
Electoral Officer whom he claimed had been arrested had messed up the
electoral process in the entire Idemili North LGA with 306 Polling
Units and total registered voters of about 174,000; claiming that he
cannot cancel the total election because of one Electoral Officer's
malfeasance."
CNPP asked the INEC chairman to explain whether the 113,113 cancelled
votes came from Idemili North where no election took place and where a
rescheduled election was supposedly conducted at Obosi and later
extended to Abatete and Nkpor Ward 2, without official notification?
It called on INEC to further cancel 506,000 votes, saying it was an
oversight on part of the Commission to cancel only 113,113 votes and
close their eyes to the 174,000 votes in Idemili North, "where voting
did not take place and over 200,000 manipulated votes spread across
Anambra West and East, Awka North and South, Ihiala and other
uncountable Polling Units, as evidenced by reports of local and
international observers."
It also criticised the Commission for fixing the re-run in Obosi on
Sunday when it knew that it was a predominantly Christian community,
alleging that it did not do so with good conscience.
It wondered if Nigerians could trust their fate in "an incapable,
inept and compromise hand to conduct the more sensitive and delicate
2015 general elections?"
CNPP stated further, "In fact the Anambra State Governorship has in no
uncertain terms exposed Professor Jega's palpable ineptitude, gross
incapacity, utter negligence and near compromise in managing elections
and therefore Professor Jega should resign forthwith."