Okowa, Otuaro, Oborevwori, others hail the peaceful conduct of LG polls

By Akowel Wealth, (IT-Student)

 

Delta governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, his Deputy Governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, and other stakeholders have expressed satisfaction over the peaceful conduct of local government council elections held across the 25 LGAs of the state.

Governor Okowa speaking shortly after casting his vote at DSIEC ward 3; unit 3, (INEC ward two-unit one) located at Eghoma Primary School, Owa-Alero in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state, said from the report that he was getting, everything was going on peacefully.

He disclosed that materials for the election had been distributed to every local government early enough for seamless conduct of the election, adding that the sensitive materials were distributed by Friday which, he said, has all been moved to their various polling units in the various wards across the state.

“From all the report I am getting thus far, everything is going on peacefully; materials have been distributed to every local government; the sensitive materials were distributed by Friday, and the information that I am getting is that they have all been moved to their various polling units in the various wards.

“We don’t have much of the challenge here (his polling unit) and I think in many parts of the state, we don’t have much of the challenge because, of the 500 councilors, I think about 240 of them have been returned unopposed.

“It is only half of the councilors that are actually contesting in the election, the other ones have been returned unopposed. So, that makes the whole thing more peaceful.

“As I did cast my vote here, the vote was just for the chairmanship candidate alone because the councilor in this place has been returned unopposed.

“The place is peaceful and in the course of the day, we will be getting more reports. The security agencies have been fully mobilised and we hope that everything goes on very smoothly,” he said.

According to him, the PDP did massive ward to ward and unit to unit campaign in preparation for the election, pointing out that the opposition in some local governments also, did some campaign “but there are some local governments that they (the opposition) did not do campaign at all because it is when you have a strength that you will go on to do the campaign.

“As I said earlier, it is about 240 councillors that have been returned unopposed, 260 of them which is also a sizeable number, are contesting the elections. Again, 24 local government council chairmen are contesting the election. So, there were massive campaigns,” he added.

On why he chose to conduct local government council elections, Governor Okowa said that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provided for a democratically elected local government council.

READ ALSO: Voter apathy, late commencement of vote mars Delta council polls

He added that any governor who was not conducting local government elections was actually failing to obey the Constitution of the country which he swore to uphold.

“Therefore, I had always insisted and maintained that I will never at any point in time, have what we called caretaker committees and I think it is only fair that we should be obedient to the Constitution since it has provided for a democratically elected local government,” he stated.

Also, the Deputy Governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, described the process as peaceful, free, fair, and credible, saying he was impressed with the turnout of voters.

Otuaro stated this after casting his votes at Federal ward 4, unit 12 in Okerenkoko Community in Warri Southwest Local Government Area of the state,

According to him; “Deltans should be expecting credible conduct from the local government Council leadership. Times have been challenging but we do hope very strongly that things will pick up and the dividends of democracy will be experienced having gone through this process of electing chairmen and councilors”.

…. As turnout of voters excites Delta Speaker, Oborevwori

 

In a related development, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has described the turnout of voters in Osubi, Okpe Local Government in the March 6, 2021, local government elections as impressive.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after casting his vote at State Ward Six, Osubi, Rt Hon  Oborevwori said that he was impressed with the turnout of voters, describing the exercise as very peaceful.

He said that; “As you can see, I just voted here in my Ward in Osubi. I must say that I am impressed with the massive turnout of voters. The exercise is very peaceful here in Osubi and that is also the feelers that I am getting from all over Okpe Local Government Area and we give God the glory”.

According to him also; “We have a sellable and acceptable chairmanship candidate and we are sure of victory at the end of the day and I want to appeal to our electorate to remain peaceful.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu described the local government council elections as generally peaceful.

Mr. Aniagwu who was speaking in an interview shortly after casting his vote at ward 9, unit 2, in Akumazi Umuocha, Ika North East Local Government Area of the state, said elections in the community were always like a contest between brothers, and without any ill feelings.

“We take it (election) like a new yam festival where you don’t need to enlighten anybody on how to behave. Everybody knows it is a contest and no need for a fight. It is just the tradition of the people of the community.

“We put our town first before any contest and we do know that at the end of the day, it means well for the community, such that anyone that wins, you will see the next person embracing him. So, it is a contest between brothers,” the Commissioner said.

On his part, an APC councillorship candidate from the same ward, Onyenake Sunday who collaborated with Mr. Aniagwu, said the exercise has been peaceful because the community is a peace-loving community.

“We don’t fight for elections. I am satisfied with what is happening now as far as this local government council election is concerned,” he stated.