Anambra Guber Poll: Commitment to Free and fair election on November 8 hinges on INEC — YPP Chieftain
Let me start by noting that the YPP is committed to a peaceful, free, and fair election process in Anambra State, on November 8, as a progressive political party.
At least, so far, we have conducted our political campaigns with utmost civility and laser focus on governance issues. We did not get into this race to become distracted by mundane and fleeting talks that have no effect on our people’s daily experience in Anambra State.
The issues are simple: one, the governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo is not doing much to justify the humongous amount of revenues he has managed on behalf of the people and government of Anambra State in over three years.
Secondly, there is insecurity that the governor allowed to thrive and only began to show signs of interest in dealing with in an election year.
Recall that Operation Udogachi was launched this year after years of waste of lives and properties under the governor’s watch.
We are also saying that the amount of revenue collected so far does not correspond with the work we have on the ground in Anambra State.
For instance, only this year, between January and June, the governor collected over N150 billion as FAAC allocation.
Within the same period, Anambra State also collected over N60 billion as LGA allocation. We are saying that these funds do not reflect in our LGAs.
We have offered Ndi Anambra a credible alternative on our party’s platform, the YPP. We are also focused on delivering good governance, which our candidate, Sir Paul Chukwuma, shall realise through his three point agenda, otherwise called the HIS Agenda – Human capital development, Infrastructure Development and Security.
The message from Paul Chukwuma and Uzu Okagbue is that Anambra Deserves Better and for us the people are keying into this because they know that indeed, they deserve more than they get currently.
So, we have been mobilising extensively, and many of our people are out there at coalition centres at their wards, picking up their PVCs. We are urging them not to relent, and we are confident that Ndi Anambra will pass a final verdict of no confidence on the current government with their votes, in exactly two weeks.
But beyond all these which demonstrate our readiness to comply in ensuring a free and fair election on November 8, we demand that;
1. The Anambra State Government sponsored armed militias parading prohibited firearms must be completely excluded from this election process.
2. That the INEC must not look away and allow the current administration in Anambra State to continue to carry on as if it is above the laws. INEC must investigate the government’s expenditure so far and apportion punishment as it is appropriate for overspending.
3. The INEC must be clear and definite on the troubling issue of vote buying which the current Anambra State Government has taken to a new level during the last by-election in Anambra State. Is vote buying now normal in our election process?
In all, we make bold to demand that the INEC demonstrates an impeccable commitment to it’s own rules. This will naturally influence stakeholders’ compliance towards ensuring free and credible polls on November 8.
Ebuka Onyekwelu, PhD
Spokesman and Media Director of The Sir Paul Chukwuma Campaign Council
