Group endorses Atiku, drums support for Umahi

Network for Advancement of Democracy (NEFAD) says Ebonyi state governor David Umahi is going well and should be supported in his second bid in order to enable him continue with his outstanding policies and programmes which are of immense benefit to the state.

In its maiden public outing in Abakiliki Monday, the national coordinator of NEFAD Dr. Chike Onwe said there are a lot of issues affecting Nigeria’s socio economic development currently including maladministration and money politics which he said are not good for the nation’s development and therefore called the people to be vigilant.

“We are all witnesses to the maladies that have characterized our body polity and politics over time. The society has been made to believe that those who cast votes do not matter and that those who count the votes are everything.

We are witnesses to the role of money and security agencies in our elections. We are also witnesses to the scourge of electoral based violence. The picture of our political past is black.

We have an electoral process where people are reluctant to participate in. We conduct elections but hardly do the will of the people prevail.

There is little or no trust in our democratic institutions to deliver on their mandates. The narrative is discouraging. NEFAD believes that these must change,” Dr. Onwe lamented.

According to him, NEPAD is committed to change but peacefully and not violent change beginning from free and fair elections to total transformation of the society at large.

“What do we stand for? We stand for violence-free elections. We stand for an independent electoral umpire who does things right according to the governing laws, regulations and rules of engagement.

We stand for an unencumbered but patriotic civil society that says truth to power. We stand for a security agency that is professional and non-partisan in their conduct and operation, showing no favour to any political interest and patronage.

We stand for political parties that are ideologically driven and intent on meeting the needs and aspirations of the people. To this end, NEFAD envisions a future where we shall have elections devoid of violence and rancor.

We see a future in our electoral process, where people go to the polling units to vote candidates of their choice without any intimidation, harassment, molestation or blackmail.

We see a future where votes will count and be counted. We see a future where winners win fairly and loser accept defeat with grace without resort to self help.

We see a future where our judiciary shall not only be impartial but shall be diligent to discharge electoral issues expeditiously and fairly.

Most importantly, we see a future where our elected office holders are guided by the promises upon which they were elected into office and are diligent in prosecuting their mandate and not necessarily mindful of the next election.

In summary, we see a future where our elections shall be driven by issues and not guns, our campaigns shall be anchored on societal needs and not hate speech.

According to the group, the emergence of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi as PDP presidential candidate and running mate for the 2019 election is commendable as the two men have the potentials to set Nigeria on the part of growth and development.

“It is on this note that NEFAD wishes to commend the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for the great outing in the just concluded National convention of the party which produced the former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the party’s flagbearer.

To a large extent, the product of that convention truly reflects the will and yearning of the Nigerian people.

We congratulate Waziri Adamawa on his emergence as the standard bearer of the great party, the PDP for the 2019 presidential election.

We are optimistic that given his profile in leadership and business, Atiku will deliver a new Nigeria that we shall all be proud of.

We are strongly convinced that the Atiku-Obi ticket will give a new direction to our fatherland and get Nigeria working again.”
On Ebonyi, NEFAD the state governor David Umahi deserves to be re-elected because he is doing well for the state.

“Based on these factors and our answers to these questions, NEFAD has endorsed the Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Engr. Chief David Nweze Umahi for a second term in office.

Dave represents our future, our reality and our possibilities. We want him back because he understands our past, knows our present and believes in our future.

We want him back because his reelection will further cement the harmony among the zones and peoples of Ebonyi State. We want him back because he has a good work in his hand that must be finished.

The scorecard of the governor these few years in the saddle by far justifies the enormous confidence reposed in him by the people when they gave him their mandate in 2015,” Dr. Onwe said.