12 Political Parties Call For Free, Fair Election

Leaders of 12 political parties have called for a free and fair Governorship elections in Anamrba State next year.

Their call came as Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship campaign was launched in Onitsha despite a court order against it.

Addressing the media in Abuja, Chiefs of 11 parties who operated under the aegis of Patriotic Alliance of Nigeria (PAN) said that all agencies which would be involved in the election process should be cautious because the votes of the Anambra people must count.

Also, the National Chairman of African  Liberation Party (ALP), Chief Emmanuel Osita Okereke, at a separate media briefing, cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to allow itself to be used by politicians.

Okereke said: “INEC should not allow itself to be used and dumped by politicians. It is the name of the INEC and the chairman of the INEC that people will be calling while the politicians that used the INEC to rig the election will be allowed to move freely.”

The PAN also declared its support for the incumbent Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, to retain power in 2010 election.

Led by the National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, leader of Citizens Popular Party (CPP), National Solidarity Democratic Party (NSDP), Action Party of Nigeria (APN), Nigeria Peoples congress (NPC), Action alliance (AA) among 11 parties signed up support for Obi.

Their statement read: “Given the stage of our nascent democracy, we are particularly concerned with transparency and fairness of the electioneering process, the establishment of structures that would ensure that the voters’ wishes are truly respected.”