Anambra governorship election: Presidency assures of free, credible poll

Anambra governorship election will take place on November 16.

The Presidency has assured Nigerians that the November 16 governorship election in Anambra state will be conducted in a free, fair and credible environment.

The Special Adviser to the President on Inter Party Affairs, Ben Obi, made the announcement, Friday, in Abuja at a colloquium organised for the 23 candidates in the election by members of the Anambra State Towns People Association, ASTPA, and Anambra State Public Officers and Elders Forum, ASPOF.

Mr. Obi said President Goodluck Jonathan had mandated him to undertake similar steps that led to successful governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States last year.

He said his office will conduct workshops for political parties on the need to have a free, fair and credible election in the state, adding that the exercise had been slated to take place on October 21.

“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 election and bring about the state of harmony, state of peace. We did that in Edo State, it worked; we did that in Ondo State, it worked,” he said.

Mr. Obi also assured the gathering that the presidency was not interested in who emerged victorious after the election, but was only concerned with the success of the exercise.

“As far as this administration is concerned, we are committed to conducting credible elections at all levels in this country. That is why the parties have been involved in this sensitisation exercise,” he stressed.

The presidential aide also called on candidates to engage in politics of issues, advising them to have the mindset of coming to power to surpass the achievement of Governor Peter Obi in terms of good governance.

“We are not expecting anything less than what Mr. Peter Obi has done. Anybody that comes up after him has to do double what he has done. He has done well, but there is a need for improvement,” he said.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in the election, Nicholas Ukachukwu, said he was ready to tackle insecurity, power, poor industry and women empowerment.

Mr. Ukachukwu said Anambra people were known for their peaceful nature except when it comes to power sharing. He, however, assured the people that he would address most of the problems if elected into office.
The Chairman of the Organising Committee, Austine Ifedinezi, said the forum was called so as to enable people from Anambra to share ideas with people aspiring to govern the state.