Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has said his decision to conduct Local Government elections in Abia state is to deepen democracy by making the Youths an integral part of Governance to enable them contribute their quota in the development of the state.
Governor Ikpeazu who stated this while Commissioning the Permanent Office Complex of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), at Ogurube Layout Umuahia, noted that the multiplier effects in engaging youths in politics can not be quantified.
He said that failure to conduct regular Local Government elections in the state will render the local governments useless as they will be unable to make meaningful contributions to the infrastructural development of the state and country at large.
While regretting that the Youths have been hitherto excluded in governance of the country, Ikpeazu said that his administration has given Abia youths opportunity to participate and make meaningful contributions through regular conduct of local government elections in the state.
His words: “My determination to hold local government elections is not to underscore anything but the fact that everybody must do everything humanly possible to engage the younger ones in in the governance of our country.
“If we fail to hold Local Government elections often and repeatedly, then the third tier of governance in Nigeria, being the local governments will be rendered useless and will not be able to make meaningful contributions to the infrastructural development of our country.
“It is only when we isolate and exclude the youths that they begin to wonder and imagine what the elders are doing in government and governance but should they have the opportunity to participate as we are doing in Abia state, them everybody will have a feel and be able to make contributions.
“It is for this singular reasons that we insisted that two times in five years, my adminstration will hold local government elections”.
Governor Ikpeazu further stated that the building of a befitting Permanent Office Complex for ABSIEC has brought to an end the call for the scrapping of the Commission adding that “state independent electoral Commissions should be allowed to exist as there is no point scraping them”.
The Governor promised that his administration will continue to support ABSIEC to succeed.
Governor Ikpeazu who congratulated the leadership of ABSIEC for achieving the project within three months, urged the Commission to provide a level play ground for all political parties to test their popularity.
Earlier in an address, the Chairman ABSIEC Professor Mkpa Agu Mkpa recalled that the ABSIEC since it’s inception in Abia state has been on a temporary site hence the move by the Ikpeazu administration to erect a befitting office complex for the commission.
He noted that the Office Complex despite paucity of funds was completed within three months due to the full support of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu adding that the new Permanent Office is a testament to the fact that the Commission is well prepared for the local government election slated for Friday this week.
Professor Mkpa urged the Abia electorates to come out in their numbers to caste their votes and elect candidates of their choice in tomorrow’s election as adequate security has been put in place for a hitch free exercise.
