BY VINCENT UJUMADU
THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Monday in Awka declared the senatorial election in Anambra Central senatorial zone inconclusive, declaring that re-run would take place in some polling units in the zone.

The commission, however, announced the result in areas not affected by the re-run which showed that the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the election, Professor Dora Akunyili, was leading with 66273 votes against that of the candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Dr. Chris Ngige who followed with 65576 votes.

The new returning officer for the zone, Professor Charles Esimole, said the rerun would take place in Enugwu Ukwu ward 1, Nimo ward 1 and ward 3, Nri ward 1 and 2, Umunachi ward, as well as some polling units at Obosi, Nkpor and Umuoji all in Idemili North local government area.

According to him, since the cancellation of results in the affected areas will ultimately help to determine the eventual winner, nobody would be declared as the winner in the meantime.

Addressing reporters shortly after the announcement, Prof Akunyili said she would have won the election convincingly if not for the snatching of ballot boxes and other irregularities in the affected areas, adding, however, that she was still optimistic of emerging victorious.

She said: “I will definitely win because the areas affected were my strong hold.”

She also commented on the allegation that her party attempted to bribe the former returning officer with N10 million, adding “I feel embarrassed that somebody could tell such a lie.”

“If the former returning officer, who is the chief accountant of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, could tell such a lie, then the country is still in trouble.”

She wondered why she would attempt to bribe anybody when she was leading in the election, insisting that it would be better for her to lose the election than to engage in election rigging.

Also addressing reporters in Awka, the candidate of Accord Party and incumbent senator for the zone, Senator Annie Okonkwo, called for total cancellation of the result of Anambra Central because of irregularities in many areas.

He said that results were written in many areas at Anaocha, Njikoka and and even in his Idemili South and North local government areas, adding that he has already petitioned the INEC resident electoral commissioner.

Vanguard recalls that the candidate of ACN, Dr. Chris Ngige, had earlier petitioned INEC over anomalies in many parts of the zone during the election.

Also, the former returning officer, Mr. Alex Anene, had told reporters that APGA  tried to bribe him with N10 million to announce Akunyili as winner of the election.