REACTIONS GREET ANAMBRA CENTRAL SENATORIAL RE-RUN RULING

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has fixed January 13, 2018 for the conduct of the Anambra Central Senatorial Re-run election.

The new date followed a recent Court of Appeal ruling which ordered INEC to conduct the election.

Following the development, Radio Nigeria went to town to feel the pulse of some constituents of Anambra Central Senatorial District, who described the move by INEC as a step in the right direction.

One of them is a Professor of Political Science, Frank Collins Okafor who appealed to INEC to go ahead with the election to reduce tension in the senatorial zone.

“There has been a kind of confusion within our constituency. So this ruling of the court will douse that tension.”

A Civil Rights Activist, Comrade Obi Ochijenoted that Anambra Central had incurred a colossal loss due to two years of no representation at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.

“We cannot count it (colossal loss) because there is no federal project that has been attracted to our central (senatorial district).”

Another constituent, Chief ChidozieEzeugwu called on politicians involved in supremacy battle which has dragged this long to sheathe their swords in the interest of peace and progress of the Zone.

“Let us go to the field and whoever the people choose becomes one.”

However, some politicians maintain that all pending issues in court must be sorted out to pave way for the conduct of the controversial re-run poll.

It could be recalled that Mrs. UcheEkwunife of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was declared winner of the Anambra Central Senatorial election and was sworn in with other senators.

She was removed from office by the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu which ordered a fresh poll within 90 days following a petition by the All Progressives Grand Alliance candidate, Chief Victor Umeh, challenging her eligibility for the poll.

However, the INEC was not able to comply with the court order due to what it termed injunctions against the conduct of the poll.

The effect of the long legal tussle is that the people of Anambra Central Senatorial District have been without a senator representing them at the upper legislative chamber.

ALFRED AJAYI