The Nnewi North Local Government headquarters, designated as the collation centre for the rerun election in Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo Federal Constituencies in Anambra State, witnessed chaos as security operatives completely barricaded the entrance and premises during the collation process starting around 7 pm on Saturday.
Our correspondent on the ground reported that Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, the representative for Anambra South, along with the Young Progressive Party candidate, Peter Uzokwe, and other party agents were denied entry into the premises by security personnel. Tensions escalated as a heated exchange occurred between locked-out party officials and security operatives, including some INEC officials.
The situation intensified as journalists and election observers found themselves confined inside, with no one allowed to enter or exit the premises. Collation proceedings, which commenced around 7:15 pm, unfolded in total darkness due to a power outage at the secretariat. Returning officers and INEC officials resorted to using their phone torch lights to illuminate the collation room.
By 8:20 pm, the Electoral Officer, facing challenges due to the lack of light, briefly stepped out of the collation room. However, a soldier convinced him to return, ensuring the use of phone torch lights to continue the collation process. As of 8:46 pm, the Electoral Officer was consulting with electoral officials to decide whether to proceed, while some party officials remained locked outside.
The rerun election, spanning polling units in Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo Federal Constituencies, aimed to determine the winners in the Orumba North and Orumba South federal constituency, as well as Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo federal constituencies. The affected polling units in Nnewi North had 97,438 registered voters, while those in Orumba North totaled 161,914 voters. The situation remains tense as stakeholders await further developments in the collation process.