From Petrus Obi,
Enugu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said it would go ahead to perform its constitutional role of conducting the governorship election in Anambra, as earlier announced.
Fielding questions from newsmen yesterday, Enugu Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Mr. Emeka Ononamadu expressed shock that people were tinkering with the idea of preventing the electorate from exercising their civic duty, warning that no matter any agitation, election was crucial to governance.
Denying any interference by IPOB and MASSOB in the on-going Continued Voters Registration exercise in Enugu State, the INEC Commissioner urged the media to educate the people to realize that some cause are bizarre and detrimental to the development of the society.
“I don’t think we are having that challenge here in Enugu, however, I will say as a person that no matter any agitation, whether you stop people or not, somebody must come out to vote and INEC must announce a result and somebody must rule the state.
“We are working on ensuring that the low turnout that we experienced in the past will not be the case in this one, because the more you get, the more there is the opportunity of getting the best candidate into office.
“Even if you want to do a referendum today you must go to voters’ register in order to get those who are 18 years and above to do it. If you discourage people from going to register you are also shooting yourself in the leg.
“So it is important that we do what others are doing; it’s a national exercise and I don’t think that INEC has any business with either call for secession or call for boycott. Our mandate is to conduct election for those who will occupy certain federal and state offices and we are determined to do that and I am not sure there is any threat in Enugu that I am aware of,”
Mr. Ononamadu, added.
He further announced that 68,672 voters have been registered during the first quarter of the continued voters’ registration exercise which ended on April 27, 2017 and urged newly registered voters to visit the centers to check the displayed register for claims and objections.
I’ll key into SEREDEC programme -Nwike
By Chinelo Obogo
A medical practitioner and governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Anambra State, Dr. Patrick Bufo Nwike has said that his administration would key into the South-East Regional Economic Development (SEREDEC), to move the state forward.
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos, The Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government born medical doctor said, the development programme, if properly implemented was capable of moving the entire South-East states to an enviable industrial and infrastructural height saying, “no state is expected to be an island to itself.”
According to the Dublin, Ireland based doctor cum politician, if his party chooses the best aspirant as its candidate for the contest, the November election was as good as won, asserting that, “I stand a good chance of picking the ticket going by the quality of my programmes.”
While expressing confidence of picking his party’s ticket, Nwike asserted that he has the Midas touch to make a difference in the state if given the party’s ticket to contest the governorship election, stating that the leadership of the party would not make the mistake of picking any contestant whose sources of income are questionable.
“My source of income can be verified and certified as genuine. And without sounding immodest, I can tell you that my chances of being the party’s choice are very bright. I believe the leadership of our great party would look at the programmes the aspirants would present to the people. It is about programmes and not about personality. I am not rich in terms of liquid cash but I am rich in ideas. I am a civil servant and my source of income can be verified. It is the people that would assess us and ask questions about how some people came about their sudden wealth.”
On the chance of his party, Nwike said, “People are disenchanted with false claims of achievements; they want concrete achievements and not noise without action. It is our programmes against theirs. This is the time to separate the substance from the chaff because the people will, on their own make the assessment and then judge.”
Election now will be about personality –PRP
From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Anambra State, Dr. Stephen Obiorah Mbah in Ihiala, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, yesterday said his party stood a better chance of producing the next governor of the state.
According to him, his claim was based on the fact that his party was the only political party with sound manifesto including provisions for anti corruption and a combination of socialist and capitalist ideologies.
Dr. Mbah disclosed this to his teeming supporters at the area during the inauguration of the council executives of the party, where Dr. IK Nnowalue emerged as the local government chairman among other members of the council executives.
He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) , as a political party has failed at the federal level with the level of economic hardship Nigerians were suffering because the party has little or nothing to offer, insisting that for arresting Nnamdi Kanu, the Igbo should not make the mistake of voting in an APC candidate to be the governor of Anambra State for any reason.
As for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he said that the party for sure had not overcome its crisis, at least in the state and would have to settle factional differences, first. He said that the same thing applies to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which he noted would likely still be in court after the election would have been won and lost.
He assured that the PRP in Anambra had the adequate grassroots support and had designed well articulated way to reach out to the 21 councils in the state before November 18, assuring that the party would take over the Government House, Awka on March 17, 2018 when he would be sworn in as the new executive governor of the state.
There is need for leadership change –Obaze
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
One of the governorship aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party , PDP and former Secretary to the Anambra State Government, (SSG), Mr. Oseloka Henry Obaze has said that sentiments aside, the state needed a change of leadership after the November 18 guber election.
Obaze, a former Diplomat with the United Nations and who had served as SSG in both Obi and Obiano administrations, told Journalists yesterday that going by the perceived public opinion, Anambra was working presently, but when subjected to critical analysis of measuring all indices of good governance, the state was overleveraged and there was need to change the status quo.
He noted that having served the incumbent administration and left, he felt that there are some missing links presently which he is fully prepared to restore to make a positive difference.
“Every leader brings to public office his vision, style and political and leadership DNA. Management style, focus and a full grasp of the imperatives of good governance become critical variables of leadership. Ultimately, the issue becomes whether your government is functional or dysfunctional. So it’s not a matter of what I did then or will do now; it’s also not a matter of correction, as it is a redemptive effort that will insist on efficient optimization of institutions, extant laws and available resources. Governance is about delivery. By analogy, if you have two Olympic sprinters in the finals, you are better off with the sprinter who is not prone to false start, and who can run the 100 meter dash under nine seconds, than the sprinter renowned for false starts and whose best record for the 100 meter dash is ten seconds or more,” he said.
Obaze also described the recent call by governorship aspirants from the South Senatorial zone that they deserve to serve out their remaining four year tenure before the Northern zone, as self serving, saying that the zone should have fought to complete their tenure after former Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju left office rather than raising it now that the North was in charge.