CHIEF BEN OBI
BEVERLY HILLS, CA, October 11, (THEWILL) – The Presidency said on Friday that it would leave no stone unturned at ensuring that the November 14 governorship election in Anambra State is free and fair.
The Special Adviser to the President on Inter Party Affairs, Chief Ben Obi, who gave the assurance in Abuja, said all efforts would be made to ensure that the transparency and credibility of the forthcoming governorship poll in Anambra State surpass the earlier held governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
Obi, who gave the assurance at a colloquium organised for the 23 candidates in the election by Anambra State Towns People Association (ASTPA), and Anambra State Public Officers and Elders Forum (ASPOF), however urged the candidates in the election to engage on issue-based campaigns rather than attacking personalities.
Obi disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan was so impressed by the feat achieved in Edo and Ondo and had mandated him to repeat the feat in Anambra State by conducting a workshop for political parties on the need for a free, fair and credible election in the state. He stated that the workshop would hold 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 elections 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.
“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,” Obi said.
The Special Adviser said the Presidency was not interested on who emerges victorious at the election, saying rather, it was after the success of the exercise.
“You recalled that the candidates that emerged from those states were all opposition candidates. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Olusegun Mimiko, from Ondo State emerged from the opposition and after their victories; the first congratulatory messages for them were all from Mr President.
“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,” he added..
Obi, who maintained that the candidates must engage in politics of issues, said they must have the mindset of coming to government to surpass outgoing Governor Peter Obi in terms of good governance after emergence at the poll.
He also noted that Anambra State has the greatest entrepreneur in the southern region of the country, saying “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.”
According to Obi, “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 warned the candidates not to flout electoral laws, saying they must rather educate their supporters to do the right things before, during and after the election.
He said it would have great if the various candidates had heeded Governor Obi’s advice on the zoning of the governorship slot.
In his remarks at the occasion, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, said he was ready to tackle the challenges of security, power, poor industry and balanced women empowerment.
Ukachukwu said Anambra people were known for their peaceful nature except for the power sharing problem but assured that he would not only address the issue but stabilise it he emerges the governor in the election.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Austine Ifedinezi, said the forum was organised to enable the Anambra people interface with the governorship candidates on their various programmes and manifestos..
