Nigeria Content Online

Last Saturday’s
postponed National Assembly Election that was characterized by
irregularities, violence and non-availability of sensitive electoral
materials had recorded violence in some area councils of Ebonyi State
resulting in the killing of two agents of the ruling Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) in Ezza South.

Sunday Nwani Egede,
a former councillor and Iruks Nwankwoegu, a PDP agent, were alleged to
have been killed by thugs believed to be loyal to the opposition All
Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP).

The ANPP supporters
were said to have been provoked by the killing of six people perceived
to be opposed to the ruling PDP in the state.

A former local
government chairman in the area was said to have led irate mobs who
attacked and clubbed Mr. Egede to death. The suspect has been arrested
by the police.

Lazarus Obehi, the
chairman of Ezza South, the violence had “led to a state of insecurity
causing people to desert the pooling booths and run for their dear
lives. Many are afraid of being victim of police indiscriminate arrest.

“People of Ntezi
and Amuzu where we have three pooling units with eligible voter
numbering over 2000 have deserted their homes and ran into hiding for
insecurity. Instead of coming out to exercise their franchise and vote
to candidates of their choice, the sporadic shooting experienced early
hours of Friday and today (Saturday) have put people on their tolls.

“They are now scare to the marrows, they abandoned their houses and ram away for their dear lives”, Mr. Obehi said.

Ben Njoku, the
Electoral Officer of Ezza South who was met sorting electoral materials
at the council headquarters also lamented that “the development the
development has made party officials to be on my neck. They have
grumbled as if it was my fault”.

In Afikpo South
local government area, Cornelius Ani Sunday, the collection officer of
Amuro/Mgbom ward decried that some Youth Corps members and other ad-hoc
staff trained as presiding officers against seven pooling units in the
wars failed to turn up for undisclosed reasons.

He said; “Am not
authorized to recruit new people who are not trained in this
circumstance to replace the Corps members for the conduct of the
election. Look at the electoral materials meant for the pooling units
still here even as at 2.00pm”.

Snatched materials

At Akanto ward in
Amasiri, also in Afikpo South local government, electoral materials
meant for four polling units in the area were alleged to have been
snatched by thugs who claim INEC was yet to pay them the last
registration of voters exercise remuneration.

Paul Agha, the Coordinator, Amasiri Development Centre vowed to recover the snatched electoral materials.

“This is the
problem we found ourselves in, INEC had good plans for the election,
but the execution is poor, it has been marred by irregularities
nationwide.”

At Uburu in Ohaozara, the country home of both the ANPP National
chairman Ogbonnaya Onu and the PDP deputy gubernatorial candidate Dave
Umahi, suspected PDP supporters invaded the neighbourhood and family
compounds of ANPP state Assembly candidate and that of his counterpart
vying for the House of Representatives shooting sporadically. A female
student of the School of Nursing of the Presbyterian Joint Hospital,
Uburu, was shot during the violence.