South-East stakeholders have charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the conduct of a peaceful, free and fair election in three states of Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi tomorrow.
The stakeholders, including South-East Council of Traditional Rulers and representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops on Peace and Conflict Resolution, also charged Nigerians, especially in the three states to do their best and ensure that the elections take place in a peaceful environment.
They, however, frowned on the outcome of the February and March 2023 general elections, lamenting that the balloting brought serious distrust for public institutions, especially INEC and the judiciary, due to the controversies trailing the conduct of the polls.
A statement issued by the group of Igbo leaders of thought and signed by the Chairman of Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, the Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe; his Enugu State counterpart, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, noted that the electorate in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states would go to the polls to exercise their civic duties by electing the governors of their choice in their respective states tomorrow.
The statement made available in Awka, Anambra State, yesterday, signed by the Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia, Dr. Chibuzo Opoko, and the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, Dr. Valerian Okeke, appealed to INEC, security agencies, politicians, especially the political parties and their candidates in Imo, to ensure that the poll is conducted in a peaceful, transparent manner.
It stated: “We specifically implore the federal and Imo governments and their relevant agencies to do their utmost best to ensure that the election is free, fair and transparent.”
The situation in the state is already uncertain for the desired goal of an orderly, peaceful and unifying gubernatorial election would be conducted.
“The aftermath of the highly contentious general elections in February and March this year was characterised by a deluge of disputed results that in turn precipitated a plethora of court cases, which have left the nation in a deepening distrust for public institutions.”
Urging the electorate to resist any intimidation or effort to compromise their conscience with cheap financial or material gestures that could provide momentary comfort but impoverish them for four years, the leaders reminded the electorate, the political class and candidates that they share the highest responsibility of strengthening the country’s democratic culture through their lawful conduct.
