Prof. Attahiru Jega, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said that the Anambra supplementary election will hold on Nov. 30.
Jega, who announced this on Friday at a news conference in Abuja, said that there was no substantial evidence to support the call for the outright cancellation of the election, as was being agitated for in some quarters.
He said that the call by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the cancellation of the election, which is premised on the party’s petition to the commission, was not tenable and would not make the commission to cancel the Nov. 16 election.
He, however, said that the allegation of disenfranchisement by the APC would be investigated, adding that the commission would ensure that all matters were investigated.
“There is no substantial evidence to support the cancellation of the election as substantial majority of the allegations that have been made cannot be substantiated.
“The supplementary election will now take place on Saturday, Nov. 30,” Jega said.
He, however, expressed regret over the commission’s shortcomings in the Anambra election, but added that the commission did its best.
“We regret shattering the expectations of Nigerians, but we did our best under very difficult circumstances to have free, fair and credible election.”
The INEC boss noted that many people, including candidates that contested the election, had complained about the conduct of the election, while some had called for its outright cancellation.
“We regret that there is no other decision that could be taken by the Commission other than to conduct a supplementary election in areas where elections were cancelled.’’
He further said that a majority of those alleged to have been disenfranchised during the election must have been people who might have done multiple registrations.
Jega also said that such persons could be those who did not have their names in the electronic register, adding that no evidence had been adduced to warrant the cancellation of the election.
“The electoral act is very clear and our guidelines are very clear that, if on presentation of your voters’ card your name is not on the register you will not be allowed to vote.
Nwoye, who is PDP candidate for the election and some others, had alleged that they were disenfranchised.
Jega added that the commission had handed over the electoral officer who compromised the election in Idemili North, to the police.
He said that the officer was currently being investigated and would soon be charged to court
Jega added that about 183 election offenders were arrested for various miscellaneous electoral offences during the election and would be made to face the law.
He maintained that the thorough accreditation carried out by the commission led to the arrest of the electoral offenders, some of whom were found with forged electoral documents.
The INEC chairman added that some of the offenders had been arraigned before a Magistrate Court.
