The lawmaker representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency, Chief Nkemkanma Kama, has commended the peaceful conduct of Ebonyi local government elections.
Kama expressed satisfaction with the voting process after casting his ballot at Amaze Central School, Polling Unit 013, Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area, on Saturday.
He said that the turnout recorded at polling units he visited indicated strong interest among residents in local government administration.
“You can see that people are still coming out to vote; that means people are interested in what we’re doing, they are certainly interested in local government,” Kama said.
The lawmaker expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would emerge victorious, urging all candidates to prioritise the welfare and development of the people.
He, however, rejected the assertion that the election was a one-party contest, saying no political party or individual was prevented from obtaining nomination forms or participating in the poll.
He further attributed the absence of opposition parties participating in the election to the decision of opposition parties and candidates, rather than any action by the APC.
“Anybody who wanted to contest was free to approach Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) and obtain the necessary forms,” he said.
Our correspondent reports that the election witnessed a boycott by registered opposition political parties in the state resulting in APC candidates contesting without significant opposition in all the local government areas.
Kama urged successful candidates to remain committed to serving the people and work within the structure of their political parties.
He also advised elected officials to await appropriate directives from their party leadership on subsequent political activities.
The election, conducted across the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi, generally witnessed peaceful voting and appreciable voter turnout.
It however was boycotted by registered opposition political parties.
The development granted the APC candidates smooth sail in the election. ENDS//
