Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for the successful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state on Saturday.
Umahi, who spoke to journalists after voting at Onuwafor polling unit in Umunaga ward, Uburu in Ohaozara local government area, said the election was excellent and beautiful and therefore commended the INEC boss, Mahmood Yakubu, for the smooth process.
The governor, who noted that the turnout of voters was an indication that Nigerians were beginning to know their rights, insisted
that with the disposition of the electoral body, politicians should be held responsible if any of the processes fail and not INEC.
Umahi said, “The process is excellent, very beautiful. INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, should be commended. If any process fails, the fault is from the politicians and not part of the INEC. INEC has done very well. The problem of the card readers are from the operators. The card readers are functioning well but the operators are the problems. They need to be educated on the use of the card readers.
“There is high turnout. It is a statement from the people that leaders should stop taking them for granted. Everybody is interested now. So if you are a leader and you are voted into office, your eyes must be on the people because the level of turn out is an indication that Nigerians are beginning to know their right.”
The governor said there were infiltrations of people in some places because people who were not on ground thought they can use thugs and security agencies to intimidate the people.
Umahi however condemned the killings in Ikwo local government area on Friday night where two people died, stressing that the perpetrators of the dastardly act must face the full wrath of the law.
“The incident in Ikwo is saddening. Ikwo is going to be isolated at the end of the day. All the killings and evils against the people of Ikwo must be attended to. It’s not election or no election, anyone that takes life must be called to order,” the governor vows.
Recall that two persons were killed while three others were injured in Amagu ward one in Ikwo local government area of the state on Friday night.
Police Commissioner in the state, Awosola Awotunde, confirmed the incident to our reporter. He said the incident followed a clash between supporters of two political parties in the state
“The injured ones are being treated in the hospital. We are treating them as suspects for now as they were involved in the clash,” he said
Reacting to the killings, member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Constituency and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Lazarus Ogbe, accused the All Progressives Congress in the state of masterminding the attacks.
The APC candidate for the Ikwo/Ezza South Constituency, Chinedu Ogah, hails from the ward where the incident happened.
Ogbe said that one of those killed was his agent for the polling unit in the area.
The lawmaker also alleged that polling materials for the ward had been hijacked.
“Voters have come out and are waiting for election to commence but nothing is happening there,” he said.
He said a report of the hijack had been made to INEC but his allegations could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
Spokesman of INEC in the state, Andy Ezeani, said the security situation in the state was adequate.
Pressed on whether voting was going on in Amagu, he said, “I think so, I will have to talk to my people on ground and get back to you.”
He was yet to do so at the time of filing this report.
