Anambra: INEC probe panel begins hearing

The panel, set up by the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission to investigative last Saturday’s election in Anambra Central Senatorial District, has commenced sitting in Abuja. This was coming less that than 48 hours after INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega announced the commission’s plans to set up an investigative panel into the claims and counter-claims of the candidates of the All Grand Progressive Alliance and the Action Congress of Nigeria. The parties candidates are Prof. Dora Akunyili and Dr. Chris Ngige respectively. Investigations by our correspondent showed that two Returning Officers and the Anambra state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu were at the national headquarters of the State Security Service before being brought to INEC to answer questions. Also, the two returning officers, Prof. Charles Esimone, and Mr. Alex Anene, were already helping the investigators with information. Onukaogu had appointed Esimone as replacement for Anene when the former claimed that he was under duress to announce a particular person as the winner, and subsequently went into hidding. Anene later resurfaced and pronounced Ngige as the winner of the election, which the Akunyili camp vehemently rejected. A source at the commission told our correspondent that all the ballot papers and result sheet from various polling units, wards and local governments, including the mutilated ones which Anene said he rejected, had been brought to INEC headquarters to help the panel. By Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch