Maku canvasses free,fair LG polls in Nasarawa

Information Minister Mr. Labaran Maku has tasked the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct free and fair local government election which is slated for March this year. He made the remarks in Lafia, Nasarawa State at an expanded meeting of the State Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Nasarawa State Chapter.
The meeting was convened to present Certificates of Return to the flag bearers of the PDP in the forthcoming local government elections in Nasarawa State.
Mr. Maku urged State Independent Electoral Commissions to always emulate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of credible elections in order to sustain and consolidate democracy at the grass roots.
Mr. Maku dismissed the claims of the ruling party in Nasarawa State that it will sweep all councillorship and the chairmanship elections and reminded them that in a democracy, the people reserve the right to determine which political party to vote for in an election.
“APC cannot be demanding free and fair election at the national level and come to their own state and say that they will announce results without elections. This is the point that I have been making, apart from INEC, today there are no free and fair elections at the state level.
“If before an election, the governor of a state will announce that nobody will win, if you say this anywhere in a civilised society, people will be moving for your head. We are leaders; we should be speaking the language that will promote the culture of free and fair elections. We say we are democrats; we can’t go on radio and television and tell people while sitting in elected offices that there are no vacancies. This is not possible; this is not civilised; this is not what to expect in a democracy,” he said.
He urged those who lost in the primary elections to sink their personal ambitions and work with the winners for the overall success of the PDP at the polls.
The Minister appealed to PDP members in the state to remain a united front that will participate in the local government elections and emerge victorious.
He was optimistic that with the recent re-alignment in the body politic in Nasarawa State, PDP will win the March local government election and beyond.
Mr. Maku therefore enjoined all organs of the PDP to embark on aggressive mobilisation and campaign across all the local government areas to educate the people on the PDP manifesto as well as the content of the Nasarawa State Electoral Law.
Also speaking, the Senator representing Nasarawa South, Senator Suleiman Adokwe commended members of the House of Representatives from the state for altering the equation in the House of Representatives by returning to PDP.
“The members of the House of Representatives particularly Dr. Kigbu and Hon. Ombugadu; these two gentlemen joined the PDP at the time that this nation is at the brink of the precipice of falling down. The day they crossed over to PDP changed the national equation in the House of Representatives. They made the whole of Nasarawa State proud because it was that singular action that brought some stability and sanity in the polity in the nation,” he stated.
In his address Chairman of the PDP in Nasarawa State, Chief Yunana Iliya used the occasion to welcome members of the party in the National Assembly who joined the PDP including Senator Solomon Ewuga.
He equally informed the meeting that the entire structure of ANPP in Nasarawa State has collapsed into the PDP.
Chief Yunana Iliya urged PDP members to be courageous and sell the party to the electorate preparatory for victory in the forthcoming local government elections.