Aftermath Of Anambra Governorship Poll: Obaze Rejects Results, Uba Blames Obi, Obiano Salutes Buhari

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded Anambra State governorship election, Oseloka Obaze, has rejected the result of the poll.

Obaze, who spoke to journalists on the telephone, described the outcome of the election as pre-determined insisting that the results of the local governments did not reflect the voting pattern.

When asked if he was satisfied with the exercise, the PDP candidate said, “No, not quite. This seems to be a pre-determined result because it is not consistent with the voters’ turnout and the pattern.

“It has never happened in Anambra politics that the winner wins 21 local governments. So, we need to look closely at what happened, why the incumbent Governor is coming out top consistently.

“That questions whether the other candidates have no stronghold as individuals and their respective parties. There is a certain dubious consistency that, just on the face of it, is an aberration.

“INEC has to give an account on why there was over-voting, why there was inconsistency between what was uploaded and what was actually voted.

“If you have a higher number on the chart and there were no issues where people were fully accredited and left, then how did you have higher figures in the card readers than the voting itself?”

When asked if he would challenge the result at the tribunal, Obaze stated, “Well, I am still consulting my people and I am still waiting.”

However, a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Chris Uba, has blamed a former Governor of the state, Peter Obi, for the party’s loss in the poll, calling on the party to avoid impunity and do introspection over its ordeal.

Speaking at a press conference in Awka, Uba said the candidate of the PDP in Saturday’s election, Obaze was not known to the founding members of the party in the state, adding that Obi brought him and foisted him on everybody.

“It’s because of this impunity that Obiano won this election. My heart is bleeding that we lost this election again. Anambra State is a PDP state, yet each time we will lose to ‘strangers’,” he said.

“How is it that each time, a party somebody is nurturing will be hijacked by strangers some months to the election? Obi has not won any election without my input. Why did he bring a foreigner to represent us in this election? That is the cause of this loss.

“He caused us that problem and (Goodluck) Jonathan lost that election. PDP should stop this impunity. Some of those governors that came here to campaign for the PDP here could not have been governors without my input. Why didn’t they ask after me when they came here to campaign?

“Obi doesn’t have the capacity to make Obaze or anybody a governor without my input. Obi has killed this party. This is an election we would have won with a wide margin. Obi carried what he could not control.

“My heart is bleeding. We lost this election by coming distant third. In such a large party, you don’t use it to settle scores. Obi came into the PDP to settle scores with Obiano, his former ally. That was our bane in this election.

“Obi should apologise to the PDP in five national dailies for this disappointment he caused us. Failure to apologise; I know what to do.”

Meanwhile, Governor Willie Obiano, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who coasted home with a landslide victory in the election, has said that his electoral victory does not belong to him or his party but to the people of the state.

The governor, who made this remark in his acceptance speech, which he personally signed, expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for proving to Ndi Anambra that under his watch, democracy would sink deeper roots in the Nigerian soil.

“With utmost humility, I stand before you to accept the historic mandate you have bestowed on me today,” the statement read.

“Umu nnem (my brothers and sisters), the victory we savour today belongs neither to Willie Obiano nor to our great party, APGA. No! This sweet victory belongs to Ndi Anambra.

“This victory belongs to all of us! Umu nnem, this victory is not a winner-takes-it-all; for in the New Anambra of my dream, everyone is a winner.”

The governor called on other candidates in the election, including Obaze and Nwoye to join hands with him and build a better place for Anambra people, adding that the state was bigger than any individual’s ambition.

“So, I reach out a hand of brotherhood to my fellow contestants Oseloka, Tony, Osita, Godwin and others whose names I cannot easily recall here. And I say to you; my brothers, we have all fought a good fight.

“But Anambra State is the winner! The interest of Anambra State is bigger than the private ambitions of anyone of us. Therefore, I pray you to join hands with me and build a better place for Ndi Anambra! Our beloved state needs our talent and our time. The time to build a better place is now!

“Mr. President promised us a free and fair election. Today, we can all see that he has kept his promise. Thank you so much Mr. President!

“I must also thank the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting what has been widely adjudged a transparent election in Anambra State. With this election, INEC has shown that it has fully braced itself for the 2019 elections. Thank you so much.”

Obiano, who won in all the 21 local government areas of the state, polled 234,071 votes to beat Tony Nwoye of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who came second with 98,752 votes and Obaze who came third in the with 70,293 votes.