Senator Seeks Act To Make General Elections Hold In 1 Day

The senator representing Ebonyi Central senatorial zone, Senator Obinna Ogba yesterday said conducting the country’s general election in one day will save cost, lives, time and also ensure convenience to the electorate.

Ogba, who is the Senate Committee chairman on Sports, said before the end of the 9th Assembly, he will be among senators who will advocate the amendment of the Electoral Act to ensure such is done. 

The senator, who made the disclosure at his country home in Nkalagu, Ishielu local government area of the state, maintained that he is determined to ensure that subsequent elections are conducted on the same day.

“Before we wind up at the National Assembly, I will be among those who will support an amendment to the electoral act to make all elections be held one day. This will save costs and lives. If one has three or more ballot papers, he can cast his vote.

“Senator Ogba expressed the concern that Nigeria as a country is still far from being one indivisible country adding that anyone saying that the country is one is simply deceiving himself.

“At my valedictory speech, I will tell Nigerians that it will take a long time for us to be one. We should not deceive ourselves. Anyone telling you that Igbos have been forgiven after the war is deceiving himself. It will take us a lot of time to speak our minds in this country to avoid being witch hunted or killed. There is no freedom of speech.

He stated that he supported the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just concluded election for equity, fairness and justice. 

“Whether we like it or not, Ebonyi is our state. Political parties are just vehicles to get to our destination. The leaders of the state decided that the north zone should produce the governor.”

Ogba accused the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of giving the ticket of the party to a cousin of Governor David Umahi against the zoning formula of the state insisting that the decision led to the failure of the party in the state.

“The NWC of PDP for reasons best known to them shot itself in the foot. It decided to give tickets to the incumbent governor’s cousin. If you are talking about suspension, you can write to them to do so. 

On the suspension of PDP stalwarts,  Ogba said the NWC deserves to be suspended for losing elections in their wards, local government and states.

“The fact is that it is the NWC that deserves to be suspended starting from the national chairman who lost his booth, Ward and state. All the conspirators who gave tickets to those who understood their languages lost. 

“Our presidential candidate had no business contesting the election. It could had been left for an Igbo man. Even the presidential candidate is battling to reclaim his state. It is even made worse because it is a woman.”