Blackout Amidst Collation In Anambra LG Rerun Election

Eko Hot Blog reports that collation activities for the rerun election in Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo Federal Constituencies in Anambra State were marred by a blackout at the Nnewi North Local Government headquarters, the designated collation center for the event.

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Security operatives barricaded the entrance and premises of the venue, restricting access for individuals, including Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, the Young Progressive Party candidate Peter Uzokwe, and various party agents.

This led to a heated exchange between locked-out party officials and security personnel, creating tension around the secretariat premises.

Collation proceedings, commencing at 7:15 pm, unfolded in complete darkness due to a power outage at the secretariat.

Returning officers and INEC officials resorted to using their mobile phone torch lights as an improvised source of illumination for the collation room.

Around 8:20 pm, the Electoral Officer, faced with the challenge of no power supply, expressed frustration, but a soldier convinced him to continue collation using mobile phone lights.

As of the latest report at 8:46 pm, the Electoral Officer was consulting with electoral officials to decide whether to proceed with the collation, while some party officials remained locked outside.

The rerun election, spanning five polling units in Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo Federal Constituencies, aimed to determine the winners of the Orumba North and Orumba South federal constituency.

Additionally, five polling units in Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area, played a crucial role in deciding the winners of Nnewi North and Nnewi South and Ekwusigo federal constituencies.

The affected polling units in Nnewi North have 97,438 registered voters, while Orumba North has 161,914 registered voters.

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The blackout and security restrictions added complexity to an already critical electoral process, raising concerns about transparency and the smooth conduct of the rerun election.