No fewer than 70 political parties in Enugu state on Thursday rejected
the call for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in
the state, Dr. Emeka Ononamadu.
Chief Afam Ani, the Public Relations Officer of the group, said this at a
press conference in Enugu, adding that the parties passed a vote of
confidence on the REC.
He said that the parties, operating under the aegis of the Coalition of
Registered Political Parties, agreed that elections must go on in the
state on Saturday.
He said that the group disapproved of the call by the All Progressives
Congress (APC) for the removal of the REC and a shift in the election on
account of the allegations of bias and compromise against the REC.
He said that the group considered the allegations false and baseless.
According to Ani, the group warned political parties not to disrupt the
smooth electoral process in the state because of their internal
wrangling.
He said that “no single party has the power to determine whether an
election should hold or not in any state,” describing Enugu as the most
peaceful state in the country.
He also described Ononamadu as the most friendly REC to ever work in the state.
He said: “We have witnessed the coming and going of RECs in Enugu state.
This one has discharged his duty in line with the provisions of the
constitution.
“He should not be removed because he has not done anything contrary to
the provisions of the constitution to warrant his removal.
The group insisted that the election must go on as scheduled.’
NAN reports that APC, led by its Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, embarked on a
peaceful protest in INEC headquarters, Enugu earlier in the day to
demand the postponement of the polls in Enugu state.
Nwoye threatened that APC would not allow elections to hold in the date, until their fears had been addressed.