By Ifeanyi Olannye
The Protean Secretary-General, Collision for Peace and Unity (CPU), Dr Cairo Ojougboh, has urged Nigerians to remain law abiding in the wake of performing their civic responsibilities.
The CPU scribe stated this on Saturday, in an interview with newsmen after casting his vote during the governorship and House of Assembly elections at Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta.
Ojougboh, who scored the voters turnout as low, said it was unfortunate that Nigerians did not come out to vote during elections.
He, however, alleged that there was votes buying by political parties in the area, adding that there were reported cases of pockets of intimidations at certain polling units in the local government areas.
“The reports we are getting is that this voter apathy, and pockets of violence and intimations of voters in certain quarters in the local government areas.
“As CPU scribe, our message has always been a pled to all Nigerians not take the laws into their hands.
“Those who cheat in elections are shortsighted, they will not go far but we must avoid everything that will led to breakdown of law and order and remain law abiding,” he said.
He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for the effectiveness of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS).
“We will continue to pray for Nigeria while urging the youth to remain peaceful,” Ojuogboh said.
On his part, Mr Charles Aniagwu, Delta Commissioner for Information, challenged Nigerians to participate actively in electioneering process in the country.
Aniagwu, who voted at Akumazi Umuocha Primary School, Ward 7, Polling unit 1, described the process as peaceful, adding that INEC should endeavour to transmit the elections results from the poling units to the server as promised to make the process credible.
He said though the people of the area came out to vote, the number compare with the number of INEC accredited voters was not commendable.
According to him, the apathy recorded during elections is not encouraging, Nigerians must learn to come out en masse to vote during elections.
“The tradition in this place is that we believe that voting is not fight, it is an essential ingredient in any democratic settings.
“Irrespective of the choices we make, we are brothers and sisters and for the INEC, we do hope that we also transmit the eventual collation and announcement of results to the servers to avert what we saw during the presidential elections.
” Usually, you have this apathy about our people but the turnout was quite okay. But in Nigeria it is one thing to really deal with because you cannot have as much a over 90 million registered voters, though some people have died or moved out of the country since 1999.
“But be that as it may, we need to begin to navigate towards were we at least 50 per cent voters turnout in elections, that way it could further confers legitimacy on the eventual winner of the exercise.”
HRM, Dr Emmanuel Efeziomor II, who voted at the Court Hall, Ward 1, Polling unit 7, Owa-Oyibu, Ika North East LGA, urged the INEC to improve in the BVAS technology to avoid the series of delay during accreditation.
The royal gather gave the charge after several failed attempt to get accredited via the BVAS at the polling unit.
He, however, lauded the peaceful atmosphere that permeate the process, adding that that his council had all time preached the need for peace in the area.
Also, Chief Isaac Anwuzia, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate for the State House of Assembly to represent the people of Aniocha South, lauded the process and and the turnout of voters.
According to Anwuzia, who voted at Ogwa Umudunkwu Ward 3, polling unit 12, expressed confidence in winning.
“The process was seamless and the BVAS worked perfectly through out the process.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng).
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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola
