Enugu council poll best in Nigeria’s recent history – Ekweremadu

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated the people and Government of Enugu State on the successful conduct of the November 4, 2017 Local Government election in the State, describing it as the best council election in Nigeria’s recent history.

Ekweremadu, who commended the State Government for its policy of non-interference in the electoral process, also congratulated the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on its outstanding victory, noting that it was just the beginning of payback to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his developmental strides in the state in the time of financial crunch and the political peace he restored to the State.

The PDP was announced winner of the 17 chairmanship positions in the State as well as 258 councilorship positions. Elections in two remaining wards in Udi council area were inconclusive. However, it did not affect the outcome of the chairmanship election.

Mr. Uche Anichukwu, Special Adviser (Media) to the Deputy Senate President quoted him as saying: “The poor conduct of local government elections has been of grave concern to Nigerians in the constitution amendment process, but the Saturday council election conducted by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission, ENSIEC, is unarguably the best in recent years.

“It is one of those rare occasions state electoral umpires have inspired confidence in the nation’s electoral process and it adds to the democratic credentials of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the PDP.

“I commend the Ugwuanyi-led administration for ensuring that ENSIEC enjoyed total independence and the necessary resources, while also making it possible for the people to troupe out en masse to exercise their franchise in a secure, free, fair, and credible democratic process”.

On PDP’s landslide victory, Ekweremadu said: “This is just a prelude to 2019 when the people of Enugu will fully appreciate the Ugwuanyi administration for the equitable socio-economic development in the state, workers welfare, and political peace in the State”.

He enjoined the Council Chairmen and Councilors-elect to key into the development agenda of the PDP administration in the State to ensure that the blessings of democracy trickled down to the people at the grassroots.