The governorship election in Anambra State on 14th November 2013 will be free, fair, transparent and credible beyond the standards set with the most recent elections in Ondo and Edo States, the Presidency promised on Friday
Speaking in Abuja at a colloquium organised by Anambra State Towns People Association (ASTPA) and Anambra State Public Officers and Elders Forum (ASPOF) for the 23 candidates in the election, Special Adviser to the President on Inter Party Affairs, Chief Ben Obi, asides pledging credible election, urged candidates in the election to make their campaigns issue-based rather than personality based.
According to Obi, President Goodluck Jonathan has already given orders for the conduct of a workshop on 21st October 2013 for political parties on the need for credible election in the state.
“I have a clear mandate from Mr. President to conduct sensitisation workshops for free, credible and transparent elections in any state going into election, so that the people in that state will engage themselves in a free, fair and credible elections and bring about the state of harmony, state of peace,” he said.
“We did that in Edo State, it worked, we did that in Ondo State, it worked. So, we are bringing back what we did sometimes ago in Edo and Ondo State, where we organised thorough fora that brought in peaceful elections in those states.”
Obo stated that the Presidency is uninterested in the emergence of any particular candidate, noting that opposition candidates, Adams Oshiomhole and Olusegun Mimiko emerged winners in Edo and Ondo States respectively.
“As far as this administration is concerned, we are committed to conducting credible elections at all levels in this country. That is why on the 21st of October the candidates have been involved; the parties have been involved for this sensitization exercise,” Obi added.
“We have to engage in politics of issues; we have to engage in politics of understanding, selfless service. Anambra is a state that produces the greatest entrepreneurs in this sub region of the country. I told them here that we are not expecting anything less than what Mr Peter Obi has done. Anybody that comes up after Mr Peter Obi has to do double what he has done. Mr Peter Obi has done well, but there is need for improvement.”
He also implored the candidates to respect electoral laws, and educate their followers and supporters to be of proper conduct before, during and after the poll.
Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship (PDP) Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu expressed determination to confront major challenges in the state, such as security, power, male-female labour industry imbalances, while Chairman of the Organising Committee, Austine Ifedinezi expressed enthusiasm that the forum would help citizens of the state to relate with the programmes of all the governorship candidates.
