MORE STAKEHOLDERS ENCOURAGE VOTERS PARTICIPATION IN THE RESCHEDULED POLLS AS OTHERS EXPRESS SADNESS OVER THE POSTPONEMENT
Voters in the next Saturday’s election have been implored not to despair but trust INEC’s assurance that all measures have been put in place to ensure that there will be no hitches in the polls.
The Enugu State Director, National Orientation Agency, Mr. Isaac Onukwube, stated this while speaking on political watch, a Radio Nigeria Zonal political programme.
Mr. Onukwube urged stakeholder to give the commission all the support to forestall all impediments to the elections.
The Enugu State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe, spoke against calls from some stakeholders to unbundle INEC to make the management and conduct of elections in the country easy for the commission.
Mr. Igbokwe contended that rather that unbundling the electoral empire, more personnel should be employed into the commission to take care of the enormous responsibilities.
The Chairman of Zenith Party in Ebonyi State, Mr. Sabastine Obiya, expressed the hope that the forthcoming election would be a huge success as the commission had learnt from last Saturday’s experience.
Some callers in the programme, who expressed disappointment on the failure of the election to hold last Saturday, called on INEC and all agencies as well as politicians to give Nigerians credible, free and fair elections.
MEAN WHILE, The Anglican Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, the Right Reverend Aloysius Agbo, frowned at the decision of the INEC to postpone the election when the people had already prepared and travelled to places they registered for the exercise.
He stated that the action portrays poor planning and urged the people not to be frustrated by the unforeseen changes.
Bishop Agbo was of the opinion that the postponement which many perceived as set back would turn to be a blessing to the country.
He described the economic and psychological effects of the change in date as enormous and called on eligible Voters to adjust to the new date.
The Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party in Enugu State, Mr. Gerald Abonyi, who expressed sadness over the development, said the Party was not ruling out legal action against the INEC over the loss incurred.
Mr. Abonyi was of the opinion that INEC needs more manpower and logistics to deliver on the assignment.
A former Commissioner for Sports, Enugu State, Mr. Ray Nnaji said INEC should have taken into consideration the plight of people, going by the odd time the postponement was announced.
He expressed the feelings that if the situation is not well managed it would lead to Voter apathy.
OLIVER OSSAI