The rescheduled election in Ihiala Local Government Area is currently going on with lots of apprehensions. Observers say that the exercise could throw up surprises.
Ihiala has one of the highest (148,407) registered voters in the state for the 2021 election. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is leading the election exercise with over 50, 000 votes.
Soludo secured 103,946 votes, followed by Valentine Ozigbo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who got 51,322 votes, while Andy Uba, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had 42,942.
Some analysts say that it is still possible for Ihiala swing the election in favour of other candidates aside from Soludo.
However, it is not expected that geographical affiliation will favour any of the top three candidates as neither is from Ihiala.
But a look at history of voting in the state can determine what could possible happen at the end of the day.
Voter apathy has always been high in Anambra generally and Ihiala specifically.
Read also: Anambra poll: APC insists election fraught with irregularities
In 2010 governorship election, the total number of registered voters in Ihiala was 83,348. Of this figure, the total number of valid votes cast stood at 16,029.
In the final results, APGA polled 5,996; AC had 1,803; while PDP secured 4,945. APGA won the LGA, ushering in Peter Obi (APGA) as governor for his second term.
In 2013, the total number of registered voters in Ihiala was 111,531 while the total votes cast were 24,203. Again, APGA won the LGA after polling 10,274 votes. PDP came second with 5,520 votes while APC came third with 4,087 votes. The election brought in Willie Obiano (APGA) as governor.
In the 2017 governorship election in Anambra, a total of 124, 588 voters were registered in Ihiala. In the final results, APGA won the LGA again, after polling 14,379 votes. APC came second with 7,894 votes while PDP followed next with 4,706 votes.
Pundits say that APGA can still lose the election if, for instance, the APC candidate should get about 100,000 votes amounting to 90percent of the total registered votes.
What that means is that he would be having a total vote of over 142, 000, and with his 25percent two-thirds across the 21 local governments, he may be declared winner with the simple majority votes.
Simple majority may refer to: Majority, a voting requirement of more than half of all ballots cast. Plurality (voting), a voting requirement of more ballots cast for a proposition than for any other option.
Observers however, posit that if the pattern of voting in Ihiala is maintained today, the APGA is likely carry the day.
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