Anambra: INEC planning to use party’s foot soldiers as ad hoc staff, Ohanaeze alleges

Tobi Adebayo
Apex Igbo Socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not ready to conduct a credible, free and fair election in Anambra.

Ohanaeze said this in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro on Friday.

The organisation accused the Commission of planning to use the foot soldiers of an unnamed political party as ad-hoc staff for the November 6th election.

It also denied that it endorsed any candidate in the governorship race.

The statement read: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has reviewed the facts and realities on the grounds in Anambra state especially in the preparedness and readiness of INEC to ensure that there will be free, fair, and credible elections in the November 6th Anambra Governorship election, and understood that INEC is economical with the truth regards to the insecurity and administrative challenges towards conducting a successful Anambra Guber election, as most earlier certified Adhoc staffs and personnel from NYSC had resigned en mass from overseeing the exercise.

“Information on the grounds shows that” there are ongoing attempts to use a particular political party’s foot soldiers as Adhoc personnel for the election with coverage of heavy security agents, Ndi Anambra should resist the temptation to boycott the polling stations and units, as the only way to checkmate this rogue operation is for the people to mount their respective polling units “.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo has no preferred or Anointed Governorship Candidate in the forthcoming November 6th election, as we discovered that Street urchins and political delinquents are violating the Constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, going from one Guber Candidate to another for unauthorized and dubious endorsements.

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“According to Ohanaeze Constitution, the apex socio-cultural Igbo Organization will remain neutral in all elections involving two or more Igbos in a state or federal elections especially in the state Governorship elections, even if there’s need to it, the highest decision making organs, IMEOBI and GENERAL ASSEMBLY, must deliberate on it and give authorization for it, but the last IMEOBI and GENERAL ASSEMBLY were held on 30th December 2020 and Anambra election were never discussed “.

“We categorically denounce and disown all monetary induced endorsements in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Anambra elections, and urge the victims of these fraudulent endorsements to work very hard to convince Ndi Anambra( people) to vote for them, ” Sit at home must be ignored or else there will be a RUGA Governor to cancel the anti-grazing Law signed by Anambra Government. It’s mandatory for all eligible voters in Anambra should come out en mass and vote their conscience and defend their votes jealously in November 6th Anambra Guber elections”.