- Agency Report
A human rights lawyer, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has advised Anambra electorate against selling their votes during Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
Ejiofor, in a statement issued in Onitsha on Friday, also urged all eligible voters to come out en masse and exercise their franchise ‘freely, fearlessly and conscientiously’.
“As we prepare to head to the polls tomorrow (Saturday) for the much-anticipated gubernatorial election, I consider it both a duty and a privilege to address our people on this crucial exercise that will shape the destiny of our beloved state.
“I urge every eligible voter to come out en masse and exercise their franchise freely, fearlessly and conscientiously.
“Let no one succumb to intimidation or inducement of any kind. A vote is not a commodity; it is a sacred trust.
“To sell your vote is to auction your conscience, and in doing so, to mortgage the future of your children for a fleeting moment of gratification.
“Our votes are our voices, and Saturday offers us the rare opportunity to speak decisively about the kind of leadership and governance we desire.
“Campaigns are over; the rhetoric has ended. It is now time for the people to speak through the ballot and determine their own future,” he said.
Ejiofor, however, expressed the belief that from credible indications and assurances received, the governorship election would to be peaceful, transparent and credible.
“Security agencies have pledged to provide maximum protection for voters, and I encourage our people to cooperate fully with law enforcement officers on duty,” he stated.
The legal practitioner enjoined voters to resist every temptation to engage in acts that could undermine the peace or the integrity of the process.
He noted that the governorship election serves as a litmus test for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the leadership of its new Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan.
According to him, the eyes of Nigerians, and indeed, the world, are firmly fixed on INEC at this critical juncture.
He said that the commission must uphold its constitutional responsibility with integrity, impartiality and courage in the conduct of the exercise. NAN