The Enugu State chapter of the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) has described the state’s recent council election as peaceful, free, fair and credible….
The Enugu State chapter of the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) has described the state’s recent council election as peaceful, free, fair and credible.
The coalition made the assessment on Monday at a press conference in Enugu, where it commended the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), security agencies and other stakeholders for their roles in the conduct of the election.
ENSIEC had announced on Sunday that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won all 17 chairmanship seats and 260 councillorship positions across the state.
Announcing the results at the commission’s headquarters, ENSIEC Chairman, Professor Chris Ngwu, declared the APC winners in all the council and ward contests.
Reacting to the conduct of the election, CRPP Chairman in Enugu State, Dr Afam Ani, said the peaceful atmosphere allowed voters to exercise their civic rights without fear or intimidation.
“The election was conducted in a calm and orderly manner across the various Local Government Areas, wards and polling units of the state,” Ani said.
He commended ENSIEC for what he described as providing a level playing field for participating political parties throughout the electoral process.
According to him, the commission’s stakeholder engagement, adherence to electoral guidelines and administration of the poll contributed to the confidence of political parties and voters in the process.
The coalition also commended Governor Peter Mbah, security agencies, election officials, political parties, candidates, agents, observers and the media for their roles in maintaining peace before, during and after the election.
“We encourage all stakeholders to continue to uphold the principles of democracy, political tolerance, and peaceful coexistence, which are essential for the progress and development of our state,” Ani said.
The election results, in which the APC secured all 17 chairmanship and 260 councillorship seats, have however placed the coalition’s assessment of the process in the context of a complete sweep by the ruling party.
