ANAMBRA CENTRAL TUSSLE: OKONKWO, INEC, OTHERS KNOW FATE TOMORROW

ordered INEC to issue his client with the certificate of return.

On his part, Austin Umaji, counsel to the PDP and its former National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, aligned himself with the submission of Hon, adding that the application was unknown to law, incompetent and should be dismissed.

Similar position was also taken by Ernest Nwoye counsel to the sacked senator representing Anambra central, senator Uche Ekwunife.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Umar, has disclosed that no fewer than 4,300 policemen have been designated for the Anambra Central senatorial district rerun election which will hold next Saturday.

The commissioner stated this yesterday at a press conference in his office in Amawbia, near Awka, saying three policemen would man each of the 1,448 polling units in the seven local Government area involved in the poll.

The commissioner said movement would be restricted in the seven local government areas, while warning any group planning to foment trouble during the poll to have a rethink or be prepared to face the wrath of the law.

Part of the commissioner’s speech read: “The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that the Anambra State Central senatorial election is scheduled to take place on January 13, 2018, at 109 wards of the seven local government areas of the state.

“Based on the above, the command wishes to inform the public that there will be restriction of movement within the affected local government areas.”

The local government area involved are: Awka North, Awka South, Dunukofia, Njikoka, Idemil North, Idemili South and Anaocha.

The text further read that: “The police and other security agencies are ready to ensure that the political campaigns and voting on January 13, 2018, are conducted smoothly without public disturbance, and assure all political parties, candidates, supporters, including the public of their safety throughout the period of voting and collation.

“Anambra State is known for peaceful conduct of elections; I urge residents to be peaceful and orderly on the election day.”

Speaking if a Federal High Court judgment ordering the immediate swear in of a candidate of the PDP, Umar said nobody has served him with any court order stopping the election.

“Besides, police don’t conduct elections. INEC conducts elections and the commission has informed us that we should assist them to conduct the January 13 election and we shall do so.”

Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC),Anambra State chapter, has jettisoned its earlier call for the cancellation of next Saturday’s Anambra Central senatorial rerun election.

The council had through some of its members allegedly collaborated with some candidates in the election to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to shelve the election.

But the IPAC leadership, while speaking yesterday through it Chairman, Bartho Igwedibia, to the Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC, Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, called on the commission to proceed with the Saturday’s election.

Igwedibia said the body had never associated itself in such act which he described as unpatriotic and lawless, describing those who called for the cancellation as impostors

He said the association as an umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria always upholds objectivity in its decisions and actions.

Igwedibia regretted that while other states and senatorial zones across the country are preparing for another round of quality representation, Anambra Central was still bedeviled with aftermath of 2015 election.

Commending the INEC on its professional disposition during the November governorship election in the state, the IPAC helmsman called on them to repeat such feat in the senatorial rerun, promising the association’s full support.

Responding, the Anambra State REC, Orji, promised that the January 13 election would hold as scheduled, urging all political parties to caution their members against violence and unlawful acts capable of disrupting the existing peace in the state.

Orji, represented by the Head of Department, Election and Political Party Monitoring, Mr. Ibeh Uche Agu, promised that the commission would once again conduct a free, fair and credible election in the state.