The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) senatorial candidate for the Ebonyi South bye-election, Ifeanyi Eleje, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to improve its reputation in the forthcoming poll.
Eleje was elected unopposed through a popular voice vote by accredited 250 delegates and party members during the party’s primary election that took place on Tuesday.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the primary election, he tasked the INEC to conduct an acceptable, free and fair bye-election.
He said, “I can’t guarantee it, and I’m not in a position to say it’s going to be an equal opportunity for everybody. But I do believe that as we progress in the election process and as we mature in the electioneering process, some of the things that will work against smooth running will naturally fall away.”
Eleje maintained that he is not in a position to condemn the electoral umpire, but the bye-election presents another opportunity for the INEC to redeem its image, considering the myriads of criticisms that allegedly greeted the last general elections.
“I want to give INEC the benefit of the doubts, because I won’t sit here and condemn an institution like INEC. I will not. In every organisation, there are bad and good eggs. But we will hope that, having gone through the criticisms of the past elections, INEC will see it as its duty to launder its image in this bye-election,” he added.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee/Returning Officer, Chief Chukwudi Nwankwo, said the process of electing Ifeanyi Eleje as APGA’s senatorial candidate followed the party’s/INEC guidelines.
He noted further that Eleje was elected through a voice vote since he was the only aspirant in the contest.
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