By Raphael Ede
Enugu
No fewer than 37 political parties yesterday described the November 4, local government council election in Enugu state as peaceful, free and fair and and commended the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) for its impartiality before and during the exercise.
This is coming on the heels of protestations by chieftains of the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) including the chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye, former Governor of the state, Mr. Sullivan Chime and Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, who described the exercise as sham and called for its cancelation.
But addressing a press conference in Enugu, the spokesperson of the 37 political parties and state chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Barr John Nwobodo, stated that they adjudged the election “as free, fair and credible and confirm that it met the minimum requirements of international best practices”.
The spokesperson said that they noted the non-arrival of electoral materials on time in some places, but that the Commission took immediate steps to remedy the challenge it posed on the exercise of their franchise by the electorates and extended the period of voting to 5pm to enable every credible accredited voter cast his or her vote.
“There were few skirmishes and isolated cases of attempts to hijack electoral materials yet these incidents are too infinitesimal and not widespread or substantial to effect the outcome of the election.
“We acknowledge that the Commission yielded to all the demands of political parties including removal of payment of nomination fees by candidates, reversing the disqualification of candidates for non-payment of tax or presentation of tax clearance certificate, and on other grounds.
”We want to place on record our gratitute to the Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who gave all the needed support and funding to Commission to discharge its Constitutional mandate without any interference whatsoever.”
The parties congratulated the candidates who emerged victorious in the elections as chairmen and councillors as well as those who lost, and implored the winners to be magnanimous in victory and extend hands of fellowship, while the losers should demonstrate sportsmanship and reckon that they are all one.
Some of the parties include; Accord Party, Action Alliance, Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Alliance for Democracy, Social Democratic Party, United Progressives Party, Independent Domocrats and Peoples Democratic Party.
