The National Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, has attributed the flawless conduct of the November 18 governorship election in Anambra to President Muhammadu Buhari’s quest to build enduring institutions.
Mr. Obi-Okoye made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Tuesday in Awka.
He said the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, could not have recorded such improved performance but for the free hand Buhari gave them to operate.
The official’s stance comes two days after a former National Chairman of APGA made a similar statement.
Victor Umeh, who was also the director general of the Willie Obiano campaign organisation, also commended Mr. Buhari for the smooth conduct of the election.
On Tuesday, Mr. Obi-Okoye said Governor Willie Obiano’s second term victory was also because of the role played by security agencies before, during and after the election.
“I must commend the Police, Army, NSCDC and other security agencies for the role they played in the conduct of the election,’’ he told NAN.
“Even Obiano should not take glory for last Saturday’s election victory because the two major determinants of who wins or loses an electoral contest are INEC and the security agencies if they are allowed to do their jobs freely.
“Where you will not fault INEC in this election is that Presiding Officers did not write wrong results; the commission will further improve technically.
“Also, the credit must be given to security agencies for the critical role they played though their massive deployment discouraged some voters from participating.’’
The publicity secretary described the victory as not only for Anambra but also for the entire Igbo race in Nigeria.
“Before now, the problem of APGA being noticed as a party with national outlook was INEC, because of the way and manner they hitherto conducted elections.
“But now that it has significantly improved, APGA will take its rightful position.
“APGA also will emerge as one of Nigeria’s political party in 2019 to gain more states because we are the only party with a clear manifesto to save Nigeria from its woes,’’ he said.
Mr. Obiano won re-election, securing more than 50 per cent of the votes cast and winning in all the 21 local government areas of the state. NAN
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