The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Enugu State has commended the peaceful and orderly conduct of Saturday’s local government elections in areas monitored by the party, describing the process as transparent and credible.
The party’s state chairman, Dr Johnpaul Ani, spoke after casting his ballot at Unit 002, Amaetiti Town Hall, in Nkanu West Local Government Area.
Ani said voting in his polling unit and across the wider Nkanu West area was peaceful and hitch-free, while commending the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) for conducting the election.
“First, my assessment of the process is that the process was peaceful, transparent and credible, the way I voted,” he said.
However, Ani alleged that the party received reports that some of its officials were denied access to local government council headquarters in some areas where election materials were being distributed.
He identified Aninri, Nkanu East and Isi-Uzo as some of the areas from which such reports were received, adding that the party had informed relevant authorities and urged ENSIEC to investigate the allegations.
“We are calling on ENSIEC to do more to investigate this situation and then bring the perpetrators of this act to book,” Ani said.
He also alleged that some polling units in the affected local government areas had not received election materials as of the time he spoke.
Ani, however, said the situation was different in Nkanu West, where he voted, noting that election materials had reached all polling units in the local government.
The NDC chairman said the party deployed agents to polling units where it fielded candidates to monitor voting, counting and the movement of results to ward collation centres.
Ani expressed confidence in the party’s performance but said the NDC would await ENSIEC’s official declaration of results before deciding on its next steps.
Meanwhile, the APC candidate, Chief Sunday Aniachi, reportedly emerged councillor-elect for Akpugo Ward 5, while the NDC also recorded victories in some polling units.
