Anayo Okoli
27 February 2007
Awka — Following the present hazy political environment in Anambra State, Governor Peter Obi has expressed fear over a free and fair contest in the state, and charged lawyers to dust their wig and gown for possible election petitions. He is afraid that the election will be rigged.
Gov Obi made the observation while addressing members of the Bar during a one day seminar held at the Onitsha Bar centre. With the theme, "Towards Ensuring A Credible Election", the Governor urged the lawyers to focus their debate on how to manage the rigging instead of ways of stopping it.
"Some of the actors and their sponsors in the Anambra Governorship race and the country in general feels they can win election by creating confusion with EFCC and INEC which is being witnessed today in some states.
"How can any reasonable person say he has disqualified Dr. Chris Ngige from contesting election in Anambra State or in Nigeria. The beauty of democracy can only be achieved when Ngige contest as the governorship candidate of AC, Nicholas Ukachukwu for ANPP, Andy Uba for PDP and Peter Obi for APGA, and by so doing we will test our popularity and acceptance by the people, not these stumbling block INEC and EFCC are putting just to ensure that a particular person they have in mind wins.
"The issue of credible election can only be realized when good people are allowed to run for elective positions in politics, but since it is left for lunatics there can be no credible election" , Obi said.
Governor Obi said that the reason why the level of violence has continued to increase in the state is because unpopular candidates whom the people do not want are forcing themselves with the help of their sponsors on the people of the state.
In his keynote address chairman of NBA Onitsha Branch, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) described the seminar as a gathering for people that have good conscience, and whose purpose is to seek ways to ensure that the rule of law prevails particularly with respect to 2007 elections.
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