2019: Obiano urges electorate on active political participation

Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has urged residents of the state to come out enmasse and vote during the forthcoming general elections on Feb. 16 and March 2.

Obiano made the call in Awka on Tuesday during the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC interactive session with the traditional rulers in the state.

He urged the traditional rulers in the state to prevail on its subjects who registered for the Permanent Voter Cards to collect them from INEC offices nearest to them.

The governor was represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties and Continuous Voters Registration, CVR, Dr Amaka Akudo.

She said that traditional rulers had a big job to do in encouraging their various subjects who participated in the voters’ registration to see the need of collecting their voters’ cards and coming out en masse to vote.

Akudo said that INEC would from Jan. 16 commence distribution of the voters’ cards on ward level throughout the 326 wards in Anambra and ended in January 21.

She disclosed that in the last voter registration, Anambra emerged the first in South East with a total of 2,447,996 registered voters.

Akudo disclosed that the state also clinched 11th position out of the 36 states of the federation.

Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state said that PVC collection had remained a major challenge in the state and pleaded with traditional rulers to urge their subjects on importance of collecting their PVCs.

Orji tasked every eligible voter who took part in the registration to ensure that they collected their PVC before February 8, 2019.

He said that efficient equipment would be made accessible for smooth running of the upcoming election and pledged the readiness of the commission to ensure free and smooth election.

Orji made available to traditional rulers, INEC Help Desk telephone numbers for individuals to call once they encountered any problem that may deny them access to voting.

The numbers are 07038095937 and 08125923961.

Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha and Chairman Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, called on the people of the state to vote for the right candidates who would foster better development and provide job opportunities.

Achebe, who was represented by the traditional ruler of Okpuno, Igwe Sunday Okafor, called on voters to see the upcoming general elections as a call to duty to better the lives of the people and entrench tool for development.

Mrs Vera Okonkwo, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, urged the traditional rulers to see the near general elections as a call to duty where they would encourage voters to actively participate.

Igwe Pius Omachonu, Secretary of the Traditional Rulers Council, urged INEC to reject vote buying and under aged voting and commended the commission for working assiduously towards the upcoming general elections.

Omachonu urged INEC to ensure provision of adequate security personnel to handle any electoral challenges that might come up during the day of elections.

He said that INEC should make provisions for alternative device in case the PVC rejection occurred on voting day.