…calls for local govt autonomy
By Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
Chief Ayirimi Emami, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, has accused the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration of planning to manipulate the Saturday July 13 local government elections in the state.
He warned that any attempt to disenfranchise his people in Delta South Senatorial District would be resisted.
Chief Ayiri gave the warning on Tuesday at separate times during APC local government campaign rally in Ogbe-ijoh, Warri South-West and Koko, Warri North councils areas of the state.
Addressing a mammoth crowd at Ogbe-ijoh where he is rooting for Comrade Bene Mamamu as APC Chairmanship candidate for Warri South West and Koko where he is also backing Chief Samuel Omamuli as Chairmanship candidate for Warri North, Chief Ayirimi said that he has been inundated with calls that PDP candidates are boosting that the elections were already concluded ahead of Saturday.
“Some of us are very sure that if they bring materials, people will not vote PDP in this state. If you see all my statements in the places I have gone for campaign, I say this people say they want state police, they clamour that there is insecurity and they want state policing but just this little assignment that is being given to the state governments to conduct local government elections they sit in their bedroom and write result and appoint people.
“But we think the cases would be different in Delta. Whether they will write their results or not, we need to be on ground to resist them. We need to come out, talk to our members to be on guide, let it be that they didn’t bring materials on that day but if they bring materials, I am confident that our candidates will definitely win. We’re campaigning for our councillors and Chairmanship candidates in the three Warri councils and I will equally support any local government Chairmanship candidate who have that confidence to partake in this election in the state.
He reiterated that the reason why he is canvassing vigorously for ordinary Nigerians and the National Assembly to support President Bola Tinubu for local government autonomy was because of issues of local government election manipulation and rigging by state governments.
Chief Ayirimi contended that if state governments cannot unbiasedly handle local government elections there is no way they can manage state Police which they have been agitating about.
“They want state police, but they can’t even conduct a free and fair local government election,” Chief Ayiri said.
“If they can’t handle this small assignment, how can they manage state police? We need to support President Tinubu’s call for local government autonomy to prevent manipulation and rigging”, he added
Chief Ayiri also urged the National Assembly to support local government autonomy, saying, “If there is local government autonomy, all these plots and plans would stop. We need to ensure that the election is free and fair, and we will resist any attempt to manipulate the process.”
Speaking on the alleged plot to rig and cause violence in some part of the state, Chief Ayiri said; “that’s why I am saying all of us must support Mr President for local government autonomy, the national assembly must act fast because if there is local government autonomy all of these plots and plans would stop. Imagine somebody boosting that I cannot produce a councillor in my ward. How does that sound and how will you feel about that?
Chief Ayirimi who joined the Delta South Senatorial District chairman of the party, to formally present the party’s flag to Comrade Bene Mamamu, chairmanship candidate for Warri Southwest, and Chief Samuel Omamuli, Chairmanship candidate for Warri North, reiterated; “APC would coast to victory in Warri South-West and Warri North and that the opposition would not be allowed to carry out any act of manipulation”.
He said; “APC will participate in the local government elections if the process is free and fair. The Party would be observant, we will bring all notable television stations here to notify the world, if materials get to the polling units or not.
“We are ready for the chairmanship election. We don’t believe in handpicking and writing results. The opposition does not have someone with the capacity to match our candidate”.
While receiving the party’s flag, Mamamu and Omamuli, speaking at separate times, appealed to the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) to conduct a transparent election.
