Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has challenged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega to ensure the smooth conduct of elections next year.
Governor Amaechi spoke while addressing journalists at Government House, Port Harcourt on the need for registered voters in the state to go and collect their permanent voter’s cards (PVCs) that would enable them vote in the forthcoming elections.
He said Prof. Jega’s reputation was at stake and urged him to ensure that the elections were properly conducted.
He, however, expressed fears that the PDP-led federal government might frustrate Prof. Jega’s bid to conduct free elections next year.
“You know, what INEC is doing is to say all the elections in the past could not have been properly conducted, now we want to conduct a proper free election. I didn’t use the word ‘fair’, I hope you heard me, free elections, I didn’t use the word ‘fair’ because elections in 2015 may be free but at the end of the day may not be fair. If they use police and army to chase away the voters of APC, is that election fair? For now, we can only assume that INEC will be able to conduct a free election hoping that Prof. Jega will defend his reputation”.
He insisted that the people’s mandate must be protected.
“This time our people’s mandate must be protected. This time your votes must count and journalists should be at the forefront of that fight. Nobody can buy us with money. Someone who was Council Chairman yesterday, suddenly have mansions left, right and centre; this time, he will no longer build mansions, he will build castles”, he said.
He urged the people to go their various polling units to pick up their permanent voter’s cards.
“Go and get your permanent voter’s card so that you can vote out PDP. If you don’t have the permanent voter’s card, you will not be able to vote in the forthcoming elections. And I assure you that this time our votes must count and for our votes to count, every registered voter will have the support of the Rivers State Government to go and collect the permanent voters card.
“And those who have not registered, they should also get ready to register when the continuous voter registration commences in the State.”
Amaechi urged INEC to rectify whatever technical challenges they were having and make it possible for Rivers people in the 23 Local Government Areas to collect their permanent voter’s cards to vote at the elections.
At the moment, only seven LGAs could have their permanent voter’s cards, according to INEC.
Amaechi said: “we sympathize with INEC and we will join them to pray that they find a solution to the remaining Local Government Areas. In my Local government Area (Ikwerre LGA), there are some units that don’t have, they were registered but their names have been omitted completely and in that case, there will be fresh registration”. (Dailypost)
