Enugu State Chairman of Green Party (GP), Hon. Afam Ani, has expressed the view that the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) is capable of conducting free, fair and credible election, come November 4, 2017 council elections.

Ani, who disclosed this in an interview with journalists, said that he hinged his optimism on the fact that the new ENSIEC Chairman, Dr. Mike Ajogwu, SAN, is a man of integrity and would not allow himself to be enmeshed in electoral malpractice.

“I am confident that ENSIEC will conduct a credible,” he said, pointing out that as a Senior Advocate, Ajogwu’s integrity would not be in doubt.

The Green Party boss said that his party is already poised for the forthcoming election and that aspirants have started indicating interest to run for different positions when the time comes.

He, however, expressed displeasure that ENSIEC time table for the election indicated that candidates would pay some non-refundable amount which the parties take exceptions to and also pointed out that they equally take exceptions to the screening of the candidates of the political parties for the election, instead of allowing the political parties to exercise their right of screening their candidates.

“We frown at the nomination forms and the screening of our candidates which is the right of the political parties. It is abnormal. We have never seen where a deputy chairman to be pays nomination fee since he is running on the same ticket with the chairmanship candidate,” he said.

Ani also frowned at the open ballot suggested by the commission for the election, saying that secret ballot is preferable because open ballot would expose the electorate to risk.

The party boss boasted that his party if the party to beat in the forthcoming polls and pointed out that they would sensitise the electorate well about the party for the election and expressed optimism that if they did their home work well, very is assured.

“When we do our home work well, Green Party will be the party to beat. We’ll sensitise the electorate very well and we’ll win,” he said.

In a related development, the parties have met with ENSIEC ahead of the election and it has been agreed that the screening of the candidates would be the preserve of the parties and not ENSIEC.

The state chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Committee, an umbrella of all the political parties in Enugu State, Rev. John Nwobodo, who disclosed this to news men said that ENSIEC has agreed to let the parties screen their candidates for the election but gave a date when they would disclose whether the candidates would pay nomination fees or not.

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