ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL ELECTION: OKADIGBO VISITS PRINCE ERONDU UCHE, SEEKS IGBO & YORUBA SUPPORT, AS INEC DEPLOYS 12,000 AD HOC STAFF AHEAD OF ELECTION. PANPIEC REACTS

The flag bearer of the LABOUR PARTY in the forth coming Abuja municipal area council Chairmanship election, scheduled to hold on February 12, 2022, Eze Primacy Okadigbo had paid a courtesy visit to the President General of Association of Southwest Igbo Town Unions (ASWITU), Prince Erondu Uche in Akure, the Ondo state capital over the weekend.

Okadigbo and his deputy Isa Shaibu who were accompanied by three members of their campaign organization, said they were in the state to congratulate Prince Erondu on his election as the President General of ASWITU and also to seek the support of Ndigbo in Southwest as well as receive Prince Erondu's blessings ahead of the AMAC election. Addressing newsmen at the Akure Airport after his arrival, the LABOUR PARTY Chairmanship Flag bearer, Eze Primacy Okadigbo said that most people living in Abuja have their family houses in the Southwest, hence the need to reach out to them through ASWITU and to seek the support of our Yoruba brothers. We do not want to limit our campaign to Abuja alone. "We are today to congratulate Prince Erondu Uche on his election as the President General of Association of Southwest Igbo Town Unions. I had earlier told him that I am contesting the Chairmanship position of Abuja Municipal Area Council on the platform of LABOUR PARTY. I have come with my vice and team to seek his support and receive his blessing. We also wish to seek the support of Igbos and Yorubas living in FCT through ASWITU".

Speaking to the press shortly after the meeting, Prince Erondu Uche commended Okadigbo, his deputy and his campaign team. He promised to take their message to ASWITU, noting that Okadigbo is a patriotic Igbo son who deserves the support of all. " I appreciate Okadigbo, Isa Shaibu and the entire team for this honour. I have blessed them and I will pass across their message to my people. Thank God that some Igbo Stakeholders and PANPIEC delegates are here today, including ASWITU Secretary General, Nze Emeka Enwereonye who came back from France yesterday. His being here today is a sacrifice, I pleaded with him to come as if i knew they would be requesting for ASWITU's support. Okadigbo, I can say is a good leader who can be trusted with any public office. He led well and was popular as a student union president at Nnamdi Azikwe University. The records are there".

Prince Erondu also advised the LABOUR PARTY flag bearer to make sure that his supporters do no not promote violence. " I advice him to control his supporters, we don't want violence, the country is already bleeding. I advice him to continue with the good things he has been known for. To me, it is in the hands of God to install leaders. When your time comes, no one can stop it. For this reason, I don't see politics as do or die affair".

On his part, Isa Shaibu, Okadigbo's running mate said that his supporters had expected him to contest the chairmanship position, but that he decided to become Okadigbo's running mate after much consultation and advice from Stakeholders and Party Stalwarts. He expressed optimism that they will win the February 12, 2022 AMAC election.

Elder Etim Felix Etuk, the leader of Niger Delta Indigenes in PANPIEC Southwest Nigeria, applauded the intelligence of the Okadigbo led team, noting that Eze Primacy Okadigbo who is the National Director of Special Duties North, of Pan Nigeria Presidency of Igbo Extraction Coalition (PANPIEC) would receive the support of the group, especially in Abuja. He therefore called on Niger Delta indigenes in Abuja to vote for Okadigbo.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), will deploy 12,000 ad hoc personnel for the February 12, 2022 area council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

During a town hall meeting with women groups and gender-focused civil society organisations in Abuja, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for FCT, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, also assured that the commission would provide a level-playing field for all candidates in the election.

Bello, who was represented by the FCT Administrative Secretary of INEC, Mr. Waziri Zannah, at the event organised by the commission, in collaboration with European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), expressed the commission’s readiness to conduct a free and fair poll.

He charged women groups to sensitise and mobilise youths and other women to come out en masse during the election and vote for their preferred candidates.

Bello said: “It is high time women came out en masse to participate in the electoral process. The commission provides a level-playing ground for all eligible voters. It will count everyone’s vote and will be transparent in the election".

According to him, everything is ready and INEC will be deploying over 12,000 ad-hoc staff.

“In the meantime, CSOs have a duty to perform after this function because our CSOs and the women groups are to enlighten our youths. In any election, whenever there is a problem, it is our youths. These youths are your sons and brothers, and they listen to you as their mothers and sisters. They need to be educated on the need to have a peaceful election,” he added.

The Deputy Project Coordinator, ECES, Wilson Manji, urged election stakeholders to ensure balanced voting rights for all, especially women because they constitute a sensible percentage that cannot be disregarded in society.

Source; TBE Magazine