A Pan-Igbo group, has staged a peaceful demonstration across major cities of Anambra State, calling for immediate redeployment of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who they accused of conniving with notable chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to allegedly rig the March 28 National Assembly elections won by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The groups which operated under the umbrella of the Coalition of Igbo Youth Groups for the Defence of Igboland paralyzed business activities and free flow of traffic as they drove in a convoy of 50 buses and stormed the industrial country-home of the late APGA Leader and Biafran warlord, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu at Nnewi, Peter Obi’s Agulu, and the commercial nerve-centre of Onitsha to register their grievances over what they termed stolen APGA mandate in the National Assembly elections, warning that it would not repeat itself in this Saturday, April 11, State Assembly election.
The participating groups are Igbo Gadi Nma, United Igbo Peoples Congress, Anambra Youth Forum, Anambra Youth for Peace, Anambra Traders Club, Igbo Youth Initiatives, Igbo Students Forum and Good Governance Progressive Forum.
Speaking to newsmen on why the Igbo Youths embarked on the mission, the Coalition’s spokesman and Coordinator of United Igbo Peoples Congress, Comrade Uche Madugadi stated that the group was using the peaceful protest to condemn the massive political manipulation and rigging of the last National Assembly Elections in Anambra State, noting that “the abducted victory of PDP candidates is temporal because APGA and Ndigbo will reclaim our mandates through the courts.”
He stressed that the PDP’s open rigging was so shameful and disgusting with the involvement of some respected Igbo sons like “Chief Arthur Eze, Chief Ifeanyi Uba, Mr. Peter Obi, etc in collaboration with INEC REC and Field Returning Officers to forge election results that favour PDP candidates”
Some of the placards carried by the group read, ”REC and his INEC Officials have been Compromised by PDP AND Enemies of APGA,” “INEC Pack and Go,’ ‘Prof. Jega, Redeploy Them,’’ ‘We Reject National Assembly Election Results,” We Say No to Your Second Planned Rigging of Anambra House of Assembly Election By PDP,” “We Are Ready to Defend Our Fatherland From Political Criminals and Thieves With Our Last Drop of Blood,” “You Saboteurs and Betrayers, the God of Igboland Shall Crush You If You Steal or Try to Manipulate APGA Votes for State House of Assembly Elections.’’
In a communiqué issued and signed by the Coordinators of the various groups, the Coalition, demanded that, since the Anambra State REC and his Field Returning Officers have compromised the integrity and confidence Ndi Anambra have for INEC with the PDP and enemies of our State, they shall be redeployed by Prof Jega (INEC Chairman) and shall not conduct the States Assembly election.
The Coalition equally declared that there would be no room for the nationally-rejected PDP to rig or manipulate the State Assembly election on Saturday April 11, this year
The release stated that “Anambra youths are battle ready to defend and protect people’s votes and the father land from the political criminals and thieves who have no regards for the welfare of Ndi Anambra.”
The group further warned that it would not tolerate any plan, agenda or gang-up that would disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the State created by governor Willie Obiano.
Moreover the statement warned some students, motor park touts and cultists used as political thugs by Anambra PDP as instrument of election rigging and manipulation to desist from the State Assembly election.
According to the release by the Coalition, the State Assembly election must be free and fair so that the wish and votes of the people should count, adding that, “we want a peaceful Anambra State for the sake of Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu,”
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