CNPP demands conduct of council polls in Cross River amidst coronavirus pandemic

Despite the increasing number of Covid-19 cases reported in Nigeria, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has called for the conduct of the local government elections in Cross River State.

The council election which was earlier scheduled to hold on March 28, was postponed indefinitely due to the outbreak of the novel global coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria.

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However, on Thursday, the CNPP in the state issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) to conduct the local government election in the state.

The demand was contained in a communiqué jointly signed by the Chairman and Publicity Secretary of the CNPP in the state, Sunday Michael and Castro Ezama respectively.

The communique was released after an emergency meeting of CNPP on Thursday.

The political group urged the electoral body to conduct the election, putting in place measures for social distancing and other precautions.

CNPP advised the CROSIEC to adopt the prescribed COVID-19 protocols of no mask, no movement and no mask, no voting.

It, however, commended the Federal and state governments for the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Cross River State through the state government introduction of the “no mask, no movement” policy that has ensured no case so far in the state.

 “As political parties, we are unanimously calling on CROSIEC to conduct local government elections in Cross River within 14 days, observing the prescribed COVID-19 protocols of no face mask, no movement, no face mask, no voting.“

 “In line with the efforts of the government of Cross River, we enjoin all residents to strictly obey the preventive measures regarding COVID-19 of no mask, no movement.

“The 8,000 jobs recently created by Gov. Ben Ayade, Governor of Cross River in different areas such as Agriculture, Security, Health and others are in another point worthy of mention as this will take over more than 8,000 families out of certain poverty borderlines, we appreciate him,” the communiqué read.