Chukwumerije Decries Cost Of Election On Aspirants

Senator Uche Chukwumerije said in Ohafia in Abia, that the cost of election on aspirants was assuming an alarming dimension.

“I have said it before and I am reiterating it again. The cost of election on aspirants must be addressed if our democracy must remain relevant.

“No meaningful election and democracy can stand if the aspirant cannot bear the cost of presenting himself and contesting the poll,” he said.

Chukwumerije, who was speaking after winning the Abia PDP Senatorial primaries, noted that no poor man could contest election in the country.

“I am deeply worried because Nigeria is gradually drifting into plutocracy,” he said.

He expressed happiness for picking the party’s ticket in the zone, saying the gesture of the delegates had challenged him the more to be a better ambassador.

Chukwumerije, Sen. Nkechi Nwogu, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia North, Central and South were retuned to contest for the third and second terms respectively.

Sen. Ike Nwachukwu; Rep Ariwa Arunsi; Sports Commissioner Henry Agbaeze; House of Assembly members, Mba Ukaha and Ude Okechukwu, said the primary was transparent.

Agbaeze, the former state Publicity Secretary in the dissolved PDP executive, described the primaries as the best ever conducted in the country.

According to him, delegates’ conduct is orderly and that “ the accreditation, voting, counting of votes and results were smooth and rancour-free.”

Rep. Nnenna Ukeje of Bende Federal Constituency, said the exercise was free, fair and honest, adding the party had provided a level-playing ground for all aspirants.

Ukaha and Okechukwu said that the number of aspirants for all the primaries was impressive and described it as “democracy in action.

“We are happy not because we won the primaries but because nobody was imposed on the electorate this time around”, they said.