By Chinedu Madu
Ahead of the November 8, gubernatorial election coming up in Anambra State,a cross session of stakeholders from the 3 Senatorial Zones of State have vehemently condemned vote buying and insecurity witnessed especially during off cycle elections in the area.
The condemnation was made during a stakeholders validation forum organized by National Peace Committee in Awka. According to Asabe Ndahi of the Kukah centre, at the secretariat of the national peace committee, the forum became necessary due to disturbing findings of a detailed context analysis on off cycle elections in the state. The context analysis, an independent research project , revealed challenges that derail credible and peaceful elections in the area. She further stated that the National Peace Committee, is committed to identification of electoral challenges with a view to proffering solutions to them via mobilization of relevant stakeholders irrespective of their religion, regional or political differences.
Also Deborah Obafemi of the Kukah Centre, who noted that Anambra State was known for strong civic engagement observed that off cycle elections in the area manifests unique political party dynamics.
In his contribution, the chairman of Anambra State Civil Society Network, Prince Chris Azor said acceptable electoral process leverages on multi stakeholders engagement.He commended the National Peace Committee and the Kukah centre for initiating the validation forum which will go a long way in tackling identified electoral ills in the state. Prince Azor pledged the commitment of civil society to ensuring peaceful and credible guber polls in November.
Also speaking during the stakeholders engagement, the traditional ruler of Akwaihedi in Nnewi South LGA, Igwe Wisdom Onebunne, stressed the need for traditional rulers to remain non-partisan as royal fathers to all political actors while calling on their subjects to participate actively in the electoral process.
A female governorship candidate from African Action Congress (AAC), Chioma Ifemeludike, decried vote buying which was visible in the recent Anambra South Senatorial bye election, describing it as a dangerous trend.
Participants at the forum who were drawn from political actors, civil society, religious organizations, traditional rulers, media and youth organizations were unanimous in their condemnation of the electoral challenges identified by the context analysis such as vote trading, insecurity, voter apathy, youth disenchantment with the electoral process, manipulation of outcomes among others. They called for intensive multilevel stakeholders enlightenment and education on the electoral process that will birth the expected attitudinal changes for a peaceful and credible polls in future.
The validation forum on findings of the contextual analysis was powered by the European Union.