…to mobilise members
From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Religious leaders under the aegis of Church Leaders Forum in the state have expressed fears of voters’ apathy less than 10 days to the Imo state governorship polls, saying that the reasons for the situation may not be far – fetched .
This is even as they have said that they are poised to mobilize members of the churches to ensure that they perform their civic responsiblities.
The Group also called on National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral commission ( INEC) Mahmood Yakubu to harken to the calls of political parties in the state and redeploy the Resident Electoral Commissioner prof Sylvia Agu out of the state.
Chairman of the forum and former Imo state chairman of President of the Pentecostal Followship of Nigeria( PFN), Rev Cosmas Ilechukwu , said this at a press conference Wednesday in Owerri, the Imo state capital
Dr Ilechukwu, who is the General Overseer of the Charismatic Renewnal Missions (CRM), said that the forum is very concerned about the November 11 lmo gubernatorial polls ,as the polls may be marred by voters’ apathy following serious insecurity in the state and series election violence that was witnessed earlier happened in the presidential, National and State Assemblies in the state.
He said, ” concerning the governorship election in Imo state on 11November 2023, Imo people are expected to go to the polls to elect a governor .The feelers we are getting from our monitoring teams is that voter apathy is likely to may the exercise . The reason for the apathy is not far- fetched .First, due to grave insecurity in the state and persistent bloodletting , voters will withdraw into their shells to save their lives .Secondly, the thuggery and manifold electoral offences that were glorified in sundry manners in the earlier elections this year are compelling the populace to believe that their votes would not count. We are worried about these very unfortunate and retrogressive narratives and determined to work with all stakeholders to change the narratives .”
He added , “We also intend to hold an interface with INEC that the electoral officials , at all levels would be professional and impartial in their conduct to ensure that the BVAS are used and results uploaded , real time, as they have promised.We passionately call on the INEC authorities to look into the plea of some political parties who are calling for the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner prof Sylvia Agu, whom they said does not command their confidence at at least for the November 11 Imo state governorship polls which should not be seen as a sign weakness but a commitment to the neutrality of the electoral body.”