Orji Kalu canvasses simultaneous elections in 2023

Obi, others woo aggrieved PDP aspirants for Ozigbo
Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Kalu, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider holding 2023 general elections same day, to reduce cost and rigging.

In a statement, he signed and issued yesterday, Kalu said holding 2023 elections same day would minimise cost, give the electorate opportunity to vote for their choice candidates and protect their votes.

The former governor of Abia State said the Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and House of Assembly elections could be held the same day, rather than staggering them.

Kalu also cited United States, Ghana and Sierra Leone as countries indulging in same day elections, adding that it would not be out of place for Nigeria to do same.

The statement reads: “ INEC should conduct the 2023 elections same day, as staggered elections are unnecessarily expensive. The conduct of the elections in different days gives room for rigging, thuggery and several vices. It also puts the lives of the voters and INEC officials to intense danger.

“When elections are conducted on the same day, popular candidates will emerge because everyone will be busy in their polling units and zones. The cost of running two days elections will also reduce.”

MEANWHILE, vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general elections, Peter Obi, and former senator for Anambra Central, Ben Obi, among other stakeholders have appealed to aggrieved PDP aspirants to work for the party’s victory in the November 6 Anambra guber.

They made the appeal, yesterday, at the Ekwueme Square in Awka, during a reconciliation meeting organised by the party’s factional candidate, Valentine Ozigbo.