Residents shun election boycott, as large turnout observed at polls

A large turnout of voters was observed in the Anambra East LGA, despite the election boycott declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra.

The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Willie Obiano, and his All Progressives Congress counterpart, Tony Nwoye, are from the local government area.

Our correspondent observed large crowds in most of the polling units in the area.

Voters in the areas defied the boycott ‘order’ issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra by turning out in large numbers to support their candidates.

Before the election, there were fears that IPOB members would interfere with the exercise, but there was little or no sign of the group during the poll.

The group’s prediction that bomb blasts would be recorded during the exercise did not come to pass.

However, as early as 9am, IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, issued a statement to ‘congratulate’ the people of Anambra State for “obeying” Nnamdi Kanu’s “order” to boycott the election.

The statement did not reflect the situation on the ground in the areas as voters turned out in large numbers to support their candidates.

Commenting on the large turnout of voters in the areas, a former national chairman of APGA, and Chairman of Obiano Re-election Committee, Chief Victor Umeh, said there was no way the people of the state would have boycotted the election.

Speaking at a polling unit at Aguluzigbo Ward, in Aniocha LGA, Umeh said, “Our people wouldn’t have agreed to boycott the election.

“We told our people not to stay away from the polls because of fears that some people might hurt them. You can see today that both young and elderly voted. They heeded the call.”

Umeh advised IPOB to change its strategy by getting involved in the political process.

He added, “I appealed to IPOB members to come out and vote. They should participate in the democratic process – that is the only way we can solve our problems. The only viable way for Igbo to succeed in Nigeria is by participating in the democratic process.”

Source: ( Punch Newspaper)