The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has tasked the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) on credible, free and fair local council elections in the state come Feb. 23.
New Chairman of IPAC in Enugu State, Chief Edwin Alor, gave the task on Monday while speaking with newsmen on the need for ENSIEC to provide a level playing field for all parties taking part in the council elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that ENSIEC had scheduled Feb. 23, for council elections into 260 ward councillorship and 17 chairmanship positions in Enugu State.
Alor said the local government remained a very important tier of government owing to its nearness to the people, stressing that competent people must be elected to man that very level of government.
According to him, I urge the people of Enugu State to come out en masse and vote for candidates of their choice in the election.
“The level of apathy our people always show toward elections is not good at all; people should not sit in the comfort of their homes and make complaints from there.
“ENSIEC on their part should ensure that the votes count. This is what will encourage more participation of the electorate in future elections,” the chairman said.
He noted that IPAC under his leadership would endeavor to function effectively by engaging the government of the day with veritable programmes for the development of the state.
“The good news is for us to expect from henceforth, a more virile and viable IPAC that will contribute remarkably to peaceful collaboration of all political parties towards advancement of good governance and democracy in the state,” he assured.
He lauded Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the good working relationship between his government and IPAC; while appreciating his predecessor, Chief Ken Ike, for giving IPAC a new face in the state by securing a secretariat for the council.
NAN reports that Alor-led leadership of IPAC had been sworn-in to pilot the affairs of the body for the next two years.
Alor was elected alongside Chief Augustine Nnamani of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the Deputy Chairman; Elvis Ugwuoke, as the Secretary and Casmir Agbo, the Public Relations Officer, among others.
The election was conducted by the national leadership of IPAC under the supervision of the officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu State. (NAN)
