Group hails Anambra NASS election….tells Umeh to accept defeat

www.odogwublog.com reports that Igbo socio-political group, Leadership for Igbo

Unity has described the elections into the National Assembly in Anambra state as free, fair and credible.

The President of Leadership for Igbo Unity Dr. Mike Nnodim described the election that produced Mrs. Uche Ekwunife as Senator elect for Anambra central senatorial zone and the winners of Anaocha I and II state House of Assembly election as the freest of all elections ever conducted since Nigeria’s return to democracy.

He said “we are not surprised that the elections were free, fair and credible especially as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC did well in the conduct of Presidential election which saw Nigeria’s first incumbent President to lose an election, we expected same here in Anambra and it came to pass”

“As an independent observe accredited by INEC, our group monitored the election and observed that it was free and fair and the outcome was the true reflection of the wishes of the electorate who were given chance to exercise their franchise and chose who they think would give them quality representation at the various levels at National Assembly” he said.

Dr. Nnodim further called on those that contested the election with Ekwunife and lost to emulate Mr. President by accepting defeat, adding that such show of sportsmanship would further contribute to rapid growth of democracy in Nigeria and Africa at large.

In a related development, team of lawyers has notified the senator elect for Anambra central zone, Mrs. Ekwunife of their readiness to defend her at the tribunal as a result of post election petitions.

The lawyers led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN (name withheld) while paying courtesy call on Mrs. Ekwunife expressed their readiness to defend the mandate the people of the zone willingly gave to her on the 28^th March National Assembly election.

They disclosed that their decision to protect the mandate of the people given to the senator elect was informed by the testaments from both local and foreign observes concerning the election which they said was relatively peaceful, free, faire and credible.

The lawyers vowed to resist any plans by the state government or its agents to thwart the outcome of the election at all levels and urged the state Governor, Willie Obiano not to take his political battle personal with Mrs. Uche Ekwunife and his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi but see himself as the leader of all Ndi Anambra.