The All Progressives Congress, (APC), Saturday, conducted a peaceful local government congress in Ebonyi State.
Our correspondent who monitored the exercise reports that materials for the election left the APC Secretariat in Abakaliki, the state capital to different local government areas as early as 9am.
The local government chairmen and stakeholders were seen at the Secretariat at the time of visit with their on materials for onward movement to their various local governments.
Prior to the election, Governor David Umahi convoke a stakeholders meeting on Friday, and there was harmonization in most local governments, despite that, the party insisted that everyone must go to the field to vote for the candidates, while any local government where there was no harmonization, all the candidates tested their popularity in the field.
Speaking to journalists after the election, the Caretaker Chairman of the party, Hon. Stanley Emegha, described the election as peaceful.
He said: “There has not been any call that there is any issue in any area, the election was very peaceful.
“Like I told you in the morning that it was a family thing, we understand ourselves very well. The shop is human beings, we must go extra mile in making sure that you handle them with care if not you won’t have any product in your shop”, he added.
At Ezza South local government area, the Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, Dr. Kenneth Ugbala, noted that the peace witnessed during the election in the local government was as a result of the stakeholders meeting constituted by the governor of the state, Engr. Umahi before the election on Saturday.
“Today we are implementing that decision that was taken at the state government level. Ezza South has been the most peaceful local government area in the state and the leaders are working together.
“This is internal democracy, if we do not get it well in internal democracy we will not get it right externally. Our local government is a sample of what democracy should be all about in the whole state and the federation”, he added.
Council chairman of the local government, Hon. Kenneth Eze, noted that he tries to unite the people of the local government which was one of campaign his promises, adding that unity brought about the peaceful Congress in the area.
In Onicha local government area, at about past 12 noon, accreditation was still on, and it was observed that everywhere was calm.
The local government chairman, Hon. Nkechinyere Iyioku, noted that there was no security challenge in the area, adding that the local government stakeholders met and harmonized the list.
“The people that didn’t come for screening yesterday came this morning, these are the people we are screening, very soon they will finish and we go into the election proper. Although there are people that want to contest and we allowed them to do so. They have been screened as well” she stated.
Chairman of Ivo local government area, Hon. Onyebuchi Ogbadu, hinted that those who have been elected have been armed with the party’s Constitution and as such know their duties and responsibilities.
He advised them to open their hands and receive well meaning Nigerians into the party. “Those who will work to stir the ship of this country to greater heights”, he added.
Our correspondent also reports that other local governments monitored include Afikpo North, Onicha and Abakaliki, and the Congress was conducted peaceful in those areas.