News
Nigeria: Anambra state to elect governor – polls a litmus test for 2015 Presidential Election
Obi’s All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is hoping to keep control of the mineral-rich southeastern state.
The party was founded by Emeka Ojukwu, the man who announced the secession of southeastern Nigeria as Biafra in 1967, leading to the Nigerian civil war, which ended in 1970.
The APGA party is up against the APC, whose candidate is a former state governor, and a challenge from the PDP.
The elections watchdog said nearly 1.8 million voters have been registered for Saturday’s vote, the results of which are expected from the following day.
“We have adequately mobilized men, materials, other logistics for this crucial poll,” INEC spokesman Kayode Idowu said. “We are also working local and state police to ensure that we have a hitch-free exercise.”
Nigeria has a history of electoral irregularities. Election monitors at the last elections in Anambra in 2010 said the vote was “credible” but bemoaned poor organization at some polling stations.
Measures designed to eradicate vote-rigging will be in place this time round, said Idowu. More than 12,600 election officials will be deployed to oversee the election, as well as dozens of supervisors.
