The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been commended for the way it managed last weekend’s governorship election in Anambra State in Nigeria’s South-East, including for its decision to organise a supplementary ballot in areas where the election was cancelled.

Making the commendation in a statement in Onitsha, the International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) said the supplementary election would help to ensure that only clean votes count.

Intersociety also commended the electorate for the way they conducted themselves during the election won by APGA’s Willie Obiano but declared inconclusive by INEC.

According to the statement jointly signed by Intersociety’s Board Chairman Emeka Umeagbalasi and Head, Publicity Desk, Comrade Justus Ijeoma, “The decision this morning by the Independent National Electoral Commission to fix a supplementary poll for various polling units across the State with a registered voting population of 113,113; where poll results were cancelled two days ago because of irregularities and militancy is a welcome development. This is in line with our insistence at all times that those seeking to govern publicly through electoral processes must not be bearers of stolen or tainted electoral mandates. We also see it as a bold step to remedy lapses witnessed during the conduct of the main poll. Another important aspect of the decision of the INEC is to make the poll judicially irrevocable in matters of post poll litigation, which is being expected.

“The INEC senior adhoc staff responsible are commended for refusing to allow tainted cast ballot papers into the Commission’s results. But for dry desperation of some politicians, Anambra poll would have been conclusive and the winner returned credibly. The Anambra voters deserve commendation for conducting themselves in peaceful and obedient manners and for voting conscientiously in spite of huge efforts made by ‘desperate vote buyers’ to procure them to vote against their consciences. We urge them to remain calm and law abiding. The start truth remains that the total votes of 429, 209 freely cast by Anambra voters last Saturday are incontestably living votes of the Anambra People.”

•Photo shows Intersociety’s Chairman Emeka Umeagbalasi.

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