CDHR faults Umahi’s blanket endorsement of serving Ebonyi legislators

The Ebonyi chapter of Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has appealed to Gov. Dave Umahi to rescind his blanket endorsement of State and National Assembly members from Ebonyi for the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

The CDHR Ebonyi Chairman, Mr Emeka Anosike, made the appeal on Monday in Abakaliki, in an interview with newsmen.

Anosike who spoke on the expectations of the group for the 2019 general elections, said pronouncements of an incumbent governor was capable of shaping opinion of the electorate.

He noted that a number of the State and National Assembly members did not deserve re-election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Umahi was recently quoted to have said that all those who were elected with him in 2015 would go back to their posts.

Anosike said that Umahi had performed well in various sectors, adding that same would not be said for the lawmakers.

”That scenario does not hold for a number of the State and National Assembly members.

“Some of them have not done well; some of them are not representing their constituents well, hence such endorsement would be against the wishes of the people.

“No doubt, some of the lawmakers have done well to deserve return ticket, but some others are mere excess luggage.

“We don’t need those who have turned their back against those who voted them into the house of assembly.

“We don’t need those who have done nothing to attract favours to their constituents from Abuja.

“My appeal is that Gov Umahi grants us the right of choice to vote out those who failed us, to vote out those who can’t attract votes,” Anosike said.

He said other factors that informed his canvass for the rethink on the blanket endorsement was that there were some areas where zoning was in place.

He said that some of the lawmakers would breach the zoning formula by the blanket endorsement, having by the election period completed two tenures.