Traditional rulers in Abia State have expressed great worry on the ability of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state to conduct free, fair and credible elections come next month’s general polls.
The state Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Eberechi Dick, stated this during the state interactive session between INEC, traditional rulers and religious leaders in Umuahia, early this week.
Eze Dick, who doubles as the Chairman, Southeast Traditional Rulers Council, expressed with regrets that the last general elections in the state was marred by lots of irregularities; occasioned by late arrival of materials, card readers failure among others which led to failure and non conduct of elections in some polling units in Abia State thereby impacting seriously on the credibility of the Commission in the state.
The royal father who was represented by Eze F.M. Ikpeazu, urged INEC to live above board and make 2019, general election credible, free and fair.
However, INEC in Abia State in reaction reassured of its readiness to organize, conduct and supervise a very free, fair, credible and transparent general election, this 2019.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Joseph V.C. Iloh, who stated this, emphasized that the February 16 and March 2, 2019 dates for both the Presidential and National Assembly Election and the governorship and House of Assembly elections nationwide respectively remain sacrosanct and that the Commission would live above board and up to billing.
He appealed to traditional rulers and religious leaders to mobilize and sensitize all registrants to go to INEC local government area offices and collect their permanent voter cards (PVCs) accordingly and added that INEC had decided to devolve the collection of permanent voters cards (PVC) to ward level before the 2019 general election.
Dr Illoh said that the exercise which would last for six days from January 16 to 22, 2019 before the collection of PVCs revert to local government offices and other designated centres from February 8, urged stakeholders to avail themselves of the golden opportunities of collection of 378,338 PVCs domiciled in the 17 local government areas and INEC offices awaiting collection by registrants.
The REC stated that the power to vote during the 2019 general election lies in the possession of PVCs by the registrants and listed the roles of traditional rulers and religious leaders for a successful 2019 general polls to include; ensuring that peace and harmony reign in their respective communities and churches before, during and after the 2019 elections.
