Prominent legal practitioner, Etigwe Uwa (SAN), has expressed concerns over the process of nominating candidates for the November 2 local government elections in Abia State.
Uwa, in a text on Saturday morning while reacting to the outcome of the primaries for the council elections, urged the state government to ensure a level playing field, where all parties, including LP, APGA, PDP, and APC, present credible candidates to allow the people to make informed choices.
He reiterated his commitment to supporting good governance and warned against attempts to predetermine election results.
“Let the process be free, fair, and credible, and may the best candidate win,” Uwa said.
He appealed to the election commission to be fair to all the political parties and candidates participating in November 2 local elections in Abia State.
Uwa, a member of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), also urged the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) to ensure the outcome of the election is fair and credible.
He said: “I congratulate the Labour Party Candidate who has emerged but there is no guarantee he would win the election. There are many qualified aspirants from Ohafia let the best candidate win.
I have always kicked against leadership by anointing. I encourage other credible candidates to emerge and test their popularity at the polls and thereby deepen the democratic culture. No non Ohafia LGA indigene has the right to dictate to us who would lead our local government whether whether it be Labour or APC or any body no matter how highly placed.
“Our democracy must grow and I call on His Excellency Governor Alex Otti to ensure that the process is free and fair. That is more important than anything else. All local government elections are usually won by the party of the Governor. That signposts that the process is never fair. The Governor has to set standard for other Governors by ensuring he looks away from the electoral body ensuring they are not teleguided.
“Other parties including my APGA should field the most credible candidates so that Ohafia LGA people would be spoilt for choice. All would recall that when it was declared that a particular political party would take over Abia State in 2027 I defended the current administration describing the declaration as the “confused chatter of confounded barbarians”. I have been an ardent supporter of this administration but my loyalty is first to good governance which thrives when the people are allowed to make their unfettered choices as to who governs them. That is my position. APGA PDP APC any other party wishing to contest should produce their best candidates and we would go to the polls. Any attempt to predetermine the results would be met with very stiff and fierce resistance.
“May Ohafia have the best LGA Chairman. If that person is the Labour candidate so be it but let the process be free fair and credible. Etigwe Uwa SAN FCIArb.”
