Enugu LG poll: 2 injured, 3 arrested as explosion rocks state

THE Enugu State Police Command, on Saturday, confirmed the arrest of three persons in connection with a minor explosion, which occurred about 400 metres away from a polling station at Coal Camp, in the Enugu metropolis.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reported that the polling station was one of the designated centres for Saturday’s Enugu State Local Government election.

The command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the development in Enugu, said two persons were wounded, and a tricycle was destroyed in the explosion.

He said there was no cause for alarm as the command’s Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) were deployed to the scene of the incident.

“It is just a coincidence happening on the day of election. The command, however, is assuring members of the public that the cause of the minor explosion will be thoroughly investigated,’’ he said.

Chairman of Enugu Urban 1 Amalgamated Neighbourhood Watch, Mr Chinedu Anigbo, said the explosion occurred around 8:30am when voters were arriving to vote.

He appealed to voters to remain calm and not be intimidated by miscreants, even as some voters, who turned out for the election, angrily left the polling units due to late arrival of voting materials.

At Igbariam Primary School and Emmanuel Church polling units, Achara Layout, in Enugu South, Umuchigbo Nike Ward 1 in Enugu East, Enugu North Ward 11, some of the voters left the venue after waiting for over three hours.

Collation Officer for Achara Layout, Mr Paschal Obi, however, appealed to voters to exercise patience as Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) was doing its best to remedy the situation.

Voting and accreditation did not commence as scheduled because of late (NAN) reported that as at 8am, materials were  yet to leave the local government headquarters to the polling units.

NSIEC had said that it moved the sensitive and non-sensitive materials to the councils’ headquarters by 9pm on Friday.

It also said it handed over the result sheets to the electoral officers in the presence of the divisional police officers and heads of sister security agencies at 7:30am, on Saturday.

However, ENSIEC chairman, Dr Mike Ajogwu, attributed the late arrival of materials and polling officials to lack of adequate security personnel to accompany the sensitive materials, especially the result sheets to the wards and units.

Ajogwu said that some politicians insisted that they would not vote until they saw the result sheets.

The election was disrupted in Oji-River and New Haven in Enugu North LGAs, over  alleged non-inclusion of units’ result sheets.

NAN reported that vehicles’ windscreens were smashed in Oji River, while ENSIEC generator was destroyed and officials held hostage.

ENSIEC office in Oji-River came under siege and security operatives at the venue used tear-gas to disperse voters, observers, journalists and other stakeholders.

The protest started when some politicians insisted that the exercise would not commence until the result sheets were provided.

However, the situation was brought under control when the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Danmallam, arrived at the area.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed dismay at the conduct of the elections in Enugu State, NAN reported.

The National Vice Chairman, South East, Mr Emmanuel Eneukwu told newsmen in his country home at Obinagu in Udi Local Government Area of the state that the election was a “sham.”

Eneukwu said that election materials arrived very late at many council areas, while other areas witnessed no election.

In his reaction, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Ogbuagu Anikwe, alleged that it was “aggressors” that were trying to disrupt the elections.

Speaking after casting his vote at his country home, Orba, in Udenu Local of the State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, described the election as free and fair, commending the people of the state for coming out en masse to perform their civic responsibility.

However, the Director General of the Voice of  Nigeria (VON) Osita Okechukwu, berated the State Electoral body for non-provision of electoral materials to his Eke Ward, saying that it contradicted the call for devolution of power to states.

A coalition of civil society organisations hailed the State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) over the conduct of the elections.

Leader of the group, Comrade Kalu Victor, alongside leaders of other civil society groups, said the team had so far observed that “the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission is resolute, transparent and committed in conducting a free and fair local government in the state.”