SAFAR 21 1431 A.H.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2010.
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Coffin scare at Anambra INEC office
A normal sized coffin was yesterday morning discovered in Awka near the gate of the state INEC office.
Speaking on the development, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Anambra state, Josiah Uwazuronye, said that some people deposited the coffin after a power blackout.
He said that the move was aimed at scaring the commission.
He maintained that the commission was not afraid or intimidated by the presence of the coffin, adding that "the action of those who carried it out was a sign of being cowards.
``Their action is like pouring a bottle of salt in an ocean and whatever the devilish plan intended, it will go back to them, because what we are doing here is good, for the betterment of the state and the nation,” he said.
The police spokesman, Emeka Chukwuemeka, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the coffin was removed by the police.
Chukwuemeka, who noted that the coffin was discovered at the commission's gate, stated that it contained a celestial warning to INEC by the Anambra Revolution Movement ahead of the governorship election.
A copy of the warning note made available to NAN reads: “Any INEC staff that aids rigging in our state shall die. His family will not be spared. Be warned!”
Meanwhile, preparation by INEC towards the conduct of the Saturday governorship election in the state has intensified.
It could be recalled that sensitive materials including ballot papers and result sheets arrived the Anambra INEC office on Wednesday from Abuja through the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, and were already being distributed.
Eight political parties would be participating in the election.
About 9,254 presiding officers and poll clerks have been posted to the 4,627 polling units in the state, while a collation officer was posted each to the 326 wards.
While 21 supervisors monitor each of the 21 local council areas of the state.
Also, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), a member of Anambra Election Monitoring Board set up by INEC to monitor the election, has charged Nigerians to have confidence in themselves in electing their leaders.
Ozekhome told NAN that good governance begins with the electorate electing credible leaders in a free and fair contest, saying several mistakes have been made in the past.
He warned politicians conceding the idea of rigging the election to desist from it, and added that the members of the monitoring board would not hesitate to raise alarm if it notices any foul play.
“The Anambra governorship election has become a metaphor for a free and fair election in 2011,'' he said.
