Enugu – The South East Council of Traditional Rulers has raised an alarm over an alleged rumour circulating in the region about “some elements” wanting to violently disrupt the forthcoming Governorship elections in the region.
On Thursday, as he delivered a Press Statement jointly signed by the Traditional Rulers across the Five States in the zone, the Chairman, South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, and Eze Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo Kingdom in Ezeagu LGA/
Chairman, Enugu State Council of Traditional rulers, HRM Igwe, AMB, (Dr.) Lawrence O. C. Agubuzu, KSM, OON, CFR charged politicians to desist from any action capable to breach peace and order in the Southeast.
The Press Statement reads in full “The South East Council of Traditional Rulers wishes to express her gratitude to the people of the South East for heeding the advice contained in the communique of her last meeting, for them to troop out en masse to cast their votes during the general election held on the 25th of February 2023”.
“The Royal Fathers were impressed by the peaceful manner the elections were held in the zone. In this connection, the Traditional Rulers would like to thank the political parties and law enforcement agencies for their contributions to the success of the election”.
“This press statement has become necessary as a result of some inflammatory statements by some political actors within the zone. More importantly, the South East Royal Fathers are privy to some rumors circulating in the region that some elements want to apply violence to disturb or disrupt the forthcoming Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections coming up on Saturday, 11th March 2023”.
“The Royal Fathers are seriously concerned about this development and would like to appeal to all the political parties to know that elections are not do-or-die affairs and that the beauty of democracy is that people, whether in government or out of government, live in a free society”.
“Given the above, the South East Council of Traditional Rulers kindly requests as follows;
All the youth in the South East are hereby requested to conduct themselves peacefully before, during, and after the elections
All the Youth, whether indigenous or not in the South East, should not lend themselves as tools in the hands of political parties to cause violence on tion day politicaltheties should honor the peace accord they signed by ensuring that they do not recruit andaranarmedds to disrupt the elections”.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission should be truly professional and impartial in the discharge of their duties before, during, and after the elections, and
The law enforcement agencies should be equally professional and impartial to promptly and firmly stop or deal with those who try to commit electoral offenses”.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the South East States have witnessed unnecessary violence and bloodshed in recent times due to insecurity. It is, therefore, the strongest desire of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers that this forthcoming election should become free, fair, credible, and violence-free”.
Other key traditional rulers who signed the Press Statement were “HRM IGWE Alfred Nnaemeka U. Achebe, CFR, mni,
[Agbogidi], Obi Of Onitsha,
Chairman, Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, as well as HRM Eze Joseph N. Nwabeke, CFR. Ezeamara of Eziama Ntigha, Chairman, Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers and HRM Eze Dr. E.C Okeke, CFR [Eze Imo], Chairman Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers.
