Despite the controversy trailing the November 16 Governorship election in Anambra State, more stakeholders have commended the election as one of the best to be conducted in the state and, indeed, the entire country.
Speaking on the matter, the Traditional Prime Minister of Igbo land, Chief Mike Ozua Okoye has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Governorship candidate, Chief Willie Obiano the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
Chief Okoye, who is also the Onowu Igbonine of Igbo land, described the victory of Chief Obiano at the polls as a clear manifestation of hard work and acceptance by the entire people of the state and called on INEC to declare him the winner of the election without further delay.
He expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election which he said was the fairest and freest since the return of democracy in the country, adding that it was the only election where there was no report of violence or death throughout.
“I make bold to say that the last governorship election in the state was the best so in the history of Anambra State because there was no case of violence anywhere recorded and I want to use this medium to call on INEC to immediately without further delay declare Chief Obiano winner of the election having met all the constitutional requirements of number of votes cast.
“We are aware of some people who wanted to import an alien tradition and political party to Igbo land and the same people who are so desperate to hijack the election and rig it but our people have spoken through their votes in last Saturday election and so shall it be,” he said.
The Onowu Igbo further challenged all the aggrieved politicians and their candidates to go to court and prove their cases if they felt short changed in the election instead of constituting nuisance in the streets in the name of protests.
“They have been recruiting all manner of people and paid political jobbers to constitute nuisance in the streets in a planned protests in the name of protesting against the outcome of the election when they knew very well that Ndi Anambra have chosen their Governor.”
In his reaction, the traditional ruler of Awka, Obi Gibson Nwosu noted that the election was one of the most orderly, peaceful and violence free ever conducted in the state.
Obi Nwosu urged the contestants to toe the part of peace and those who felt genuinely aggrieved should follow normal procedure to seek redress in court. He reminded them that Anambra as the Light of the Nation should set example for others.
Also speaking, the Igwe of Agulu, HRH, Igwe Innocent Obodoakor also commended the peaceful nature of the election and described it as one of the best to be conducted in Nigeria. He advised those making careless and unguarded statements against the election to stop over heating the polity and to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship.
Commending security agents, he said that some of those that planned rigging, but were prevented from doing so by security agents were the ones crying the lousiest, not out of love for free and fair election, but out of regret that they were prevented from carrying out their evil plans.
In her own contribution, the President General, Association of Town Unions, Women Wing, Dr. Mrs. Chinelo Okechukwu said the election fulfilled all requirements of the Electoral Act which the outcome reflected the mandate of the people. Dr. Mrs. Okechukwu observed that those calling for cancellation were pursuing selfish interest.
Wondering while the problems during elections are always localized in Idemili Local Government, she said that obviously somebody must be behind it. He expressed satisfaction that the problems identified were not enough to question the sanctity of the process, not to talk of calling for its cancellation.
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