Dr Onyeizugbe, FRSC official and Igwe Anugwu
By Sunny A. David, Awka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the weekend urged lecturers at various institutions in Nigeria, who have been engaged for the 2019 general elections, not to compromise their integrity.
Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra State, Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, dropped the advice during a town hall meeting organized by academics in tertiary Institutions in South-East and South-South under the auspices of Academic Frontiers Initiative (AFI) Anambra State Chapter.
Dr. Orji, a Political Scientist, called on the lecturers to live above board and ensure that the 2019 general elections remains the best in the annals of Nigeria’s democratic history as according to him INEC has perfected plans to give Nigerians a free, fair and credible election this year.
Said he: “delivery of a credible election depends on everybody including the lecturers who serve as collation and Returning Officers during the election based on integrity reposed on them.
“The voter apathy always experienced in Anambra State during elections is unacceptable, webare calling on all to endeavour to perform their civic responsibility,” and the Anambra REC was represented by the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Leo Nkedife.
The Anambra REC also lamented that over 300,000 PVCs remained unclaimed in the state out of the over two million persons registered in the state.
Dr. Orji condemned vote buying and asked stakeholders to mobilize their people to come out and vote on election day since it is of no use registering over two million votes but only 22 per cent come out to vote.
He urged political parties to nominate credible people as their party agents to assist in the credibility of the elections’ outcome.
The National Coordinator Academic Frontiers Initiative (AFI), Dr. Chinedu Onyeizugbe informed that the town hall meeting became necessary to mobilize lecturers who act as advisory an intellectual moulders to become partners in ensuring good governance through sensitization and advocating for free, fair and credible election because the ballot is stronger than the bullet, rather than continue to be arm chair critics.
Dr. Onyeizugbe reiterated on the negative consequences of electoral malpractices especially vote buying and rigging because the ignorance of a voter in a democracy like ours impairs the security of all and insisted that as lecturers they have responsibilities as stakeholders to ensure free, fair and credible polls.
