By CHARLES IWUOHA

Governor Peter Mbah, on Friday, inaugurated the newly constituted Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC).

While performing the ceremony at the Government House Enugu, Mbah said the electoral body’s new board was highly qualified in capacity and character following their expedient confirmation by the Enugu State House of Assembly.

He further stated that their inauguration was a sequel to the provisions of Section 4(1) of the ENSIEC Law, charging them on free, fair, and credible polls.

“The presidential system of government we practice creates several tiers of government and your appointment and subsequent ratification has now put you in a position where you have to administer the conduct of election into the local government councils, the third and a critical tier of government.

“You are, therefore, charged with the responsibility to ensure that the rule and the procedures governing election into the local government councils are conducted in a free, fair and credible manner.

“As unbiased umpires, the people of Enugu State would be looking up to you to ensure that the rules are applied strictly without fear or favour. Therefore, we will be counting on you to discharge yourselves creditably in your new roles.

“Some of you are already in the system as you were reappointed and we expect you to bring your experience to bear,” the governor said.

Speaking on behalf of the new ENSIEC leadership, Chairman, Prof. Christian Ngwu, expressed profound gratitude to the governor for finding them worthy to serve the people of Enugu State.

The chairman promised that they would reinvigorate ENSIEC and provide a level playing ground for all political parties.

“We will reengineer, reinvigorate and re-enliven ENSIEC. It is going to be a level playing ground for every political party.

“This is a double assurance to the people of Enugu State that we will leave ENSIEC far better than we are going to meet it and that we will never disappoint them,” he assured.

The new ENSIEC comprises Solomon Udeh, Chinenyenwa Ogbu, George Ani, Arthur Ede, Paully Eze, and Emeka Ukwuaba as members while Ifesinachi Umeobika is the Commission Secretary.