By Ukpa Ewa
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has recorded a sweeping victory in the Anambra State Local Government Council elections, winning all 21 chairmanship positions declared by the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC).
The results were formally declared at the ANSIEC Secretariat in Awka following the conclusion of the electoral process across the state’s 21 local government areas.
Declaring the results, the Chairman of ANSIEC, Genevieve Chinelo Osakwe, Esq., described the exercise as a significant moment in the democratic history of Anambra State.
Osakwe said the commission had successfully discharged its statutory responsibility by presenting the outcome of the council elections to the people, stressing that ANSIEC conducted the process with impartiality, transparency, diligence and fidelity to the law.
She maintained that the commission was guided by the principle that the will of the people, freely expressed through the ballot, must be reflected in the final outcome.
According to her, the chairmanship election in 20 local government areas was conducted through a Yes-or-No voting process because the APGA candidates were unopposed in those areas.
She explained that results from the various polling units were duly collected, collated and scrutinised in line with the provisions of the law before the commission formally declared the results.
The commission disclosed the total votes cast across the 20 local government areas as follows: Aguata, 16,843; Anaocha, 9,187; Anambra West, 6,226; Awka North, 22,688; Awka South, 4,372; Ayamelum, 6,097; Dunukofia, 11,637; Ekwusigo, 11,901; Idemili North, 31,444; Idemili South, 15,570; Ihiala, 31,017; Njikoka, 14,588; Nnewi North, 56,506; Nnewi South, 5,971; Ogbaru, 19,014; Onitsha North, 28,714; Onitsha South, 11,219; Orumba North, 14,764; Orumba South, 64,531; and Oyi, 13,996.
Anambra East Local Government Area, however, witnessed a different electoral contest, with candidates from different political parties contesting the chairmanship position.
Osakwe disclosed that APGA polled 50,169 votes to defeat the Young Progressives Party (YPP), which secured 1,658 votes. She added that no other political party contested the chairmanship election in the area.
The ANSIEC chairman also reaffirmed the councillorship results earlier declared at the various local government levels, formally appending the commission’s approval to the results.
She disclosed that APGA won an overwhelming 325 councillorship seats across the state, while YPP secured two seats.
While congratulating the successful candidates, Osakwe reminded them that electoral victory came with the responsibility to serve every resident within their respective jurisdictions, irrespective of political affiliation or voting preference.
“Your victory carries with it a full sense of responsibility to serve the good people of Anambra State within your jurisdiction, including those that did not support you,” she said.
She also urged unsuccessful candidates to accept the outcome in the spirit of democratic competition, assuring that the commission remained committed to ensuring that any electoral disputes were resolved through lawful channels.
