YPP boycotts Anambra LG election over violence, irregularities

The Young Progressives Party, YPP, has boycotted the ongoing Anambra State council elections in Anambra East Local Government Area over allegations of violence and electoral irregularities.

Anambra State on Saturday held its local government election, with the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, fielding chairmanship candidates in the 21 LGAs and councillorship candidates for the 326 wards in the state.

Other opposition political parties in the state failed to present candidates for the election, except the YPP, which presented a candidates for chairmanship position in Anambra East Local Government Area, as well as councillorship candidates for the electoral 15 wards.

The party’s Local Government Collation Agent for Anambra East, Mr Charles Ifediora, who announced the boycott of the election by his party members, alleged that the ruling party, APGA, and the state government connived to instigate violence, scaring the opposition away on election day.

He said one of the the party’s female members was hit by gunfire during the incident and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Ifediora said the situation became tense after YPP agents and supporters assembled at their designated locations to participate in the election.

He alleged that none of his party’s agents was allowed to carry out their duties, adding that gunshots were heard in the area.

He accused the state government, led by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, of abetting what he described as a sham election.

According to him, the development was particularly disturbing because the YPP had presented candidates for all 15 councillorship positions in the local government, covering 241 polling units.

Ifediora further alleged that security  operatives from Agunechemba and Udo Ga-achi vigilante outfits had been mobilised by the state government to ensure that the opposition did not participate effectively in the election.

“The situation is appalling. The election was scheduled to take place today, and when our people assembled as planned, all my agents were not allowed.

“There were several gunshots and one of our party members, a lady, was shot and taken to the hospital.”

As at 1:00pm,  our correspondent did not observe anywhere the election was being held in the areas monitored across the state, particularly in Anambra East LGA, Awka, the state capital, and its environs.