Don’t Breach The Electoral Law To Start Campaigning, Nwoye Tells Enugu North Politicians

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Enugu, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Sunday, April 4th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Enugu state Caretaker Committee Chairman of All progressive Congress APC, Dr. Ben Nwoye, has cautioned politicians in the state, particularly those from Enugu North Senatorial District extraction otherwise known as (Nsukka cultural zone), against heating up the politics ahead of 2023.

He said it is purely a breach of the electoral law for political leaders to commence 2023 political campaign at this time, “when our constitutional democracy recommends four years for a tenure.

“And same constitutional democracy we operate, allows the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take charge as to when electioneering campaigns commences in the country.

Nwoye, was reacting to a recent statement credited to Senator Chuka Utazi, representing Enugu North Senatorial district at the National Assembly (NASS), and some leaders of thought in Nsukka cultural zone, who were said to have commenced 2023 Governorship campaign during an event held in the zone.

The Lawmaker, captured in a a video recording at the event which went viral, said Nsukka zone where the incumbent governor of the states Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who is serving his second tenure in office hails from, is going to retain power for another 8 years beginning from 2023, a comment that has continued to generate sharp criticism from various segment of the state.

Addressing a press conference in Enugu this weekend on the issue, the Enugu APC boss said “a day or two ago, we saw what was going on in Enugu political realm. Some leaders of thought, organizing mini- rallies, symposium, discussing 2023 elections, and which geo political zone is entitled to be at the helm of affairs in the state .

“As the APC Chairman in the state, I thought it is wise to state categorically that governance stops where politics begins . We have responsibilities as politicians and as leaders to understand that when someone is elected he should be allowed a space to run his government.

“Those who have ambitions no matter how big or small have to learn how to exercise patience, adding that it would be a breach of the electoral law for people to launch a political campaign under any guise , be it a socio cultural group or whatever, because our system is a product of law.

According to the Chairman, “the worries of an average Enugu person now is how to earn a living, how to put food on his table, and not about where the power will revolve, whether an unknown person of Enugu North, Enugu East or West becomes the governor of Enugu state in 2023

“So, am begging the leaders of Enugu, the political gladiators and political Activists who are taking turns and trying to heat up the polity to slow down a bit.

Nwoye, posited that the ongoing debate of which a zone produces the next governor of the state was needless because nobody in the history of Enugu politics has ever been prevented from contesting a position he or she is qualified to contest because they Come from one zone or the other, insisting that the zoning argument holds no water as far as he is concerned.

He stressed that all the governors that had occupied the number one seat in the state, got into office because they had the capacity, vision, and mission to accomplish, and did not become governors because some group of stakeholders or kingmakers endorsed them.

“So the next governor of Enugu state will not emerge based on zoning, or ethnicity, but will be based on experience, exposure and general acceptability. 2023 will not be a time for some people to say it is our turn.

“People should stop making inciting statements, because they have ambition. Nobody has ever been stopped from running for any position in Enugu state as a result of zoning” Nwoye maintained.

“Those who are researching and presenting Academic works should not reconstruct history; they should stick to the facts.