2007: Enugu govt assures on free and fair polls
October 16, 2006

The Enugu State government has promised to continue to provide a level-playing ground for all the political parties in the state to ensure the smooth conduct of the 2007 general elections.

The State Governor, Chimaroke Nnamani, made the promise when he received a delegation from the International Republican Institute (IRI), a non-partisan international organization established by the American Congress to promote democracy and human rights, who were in the state on a pre-election assessment mission.

Governor Nnamani, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Okechukwu Itanyi, told the team that government had completed plans to involve all the stakeholders, including the police and other security operatives, to ensure free and fair elections in the state.

According to the governor, "we have the capacity to put all the necessary structure in place to ensure free and fair polls in the state come 2007.”

The State Chief Executive stated that on assumption of office, his administration had a deliberate policy to provide dividends of democracy to better the lots of the people and also enthrone a sustainable democracy in the state polity.

He described Enugu as a state with rich political heritage and long history of political activities, right from the time of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Michael Okpara, Ibiam and others, adding that his administration was continuing with that heritage and was poised to sustain it.

Governor Nnamani thanked members of the team for selecting Enugu for the pre-election assessment exercise and assured that government would give them the needed assistance and cooperation to carry out their assignment successfully.

Earlier, the leader of the team, Mr. Nsofor, had said that he was in Enugu on the first leg of his tour of nine states, to carry out pre-election assessment and evaluation for the forthcoming general elections scheduled for next year in the country.

"The idea behind this pre-election assessment evaluation is not to wait till the election day to give a report condemning the process but to play active and positive role and ensure that acceptable process is carried through," Mr. Nsofor stated.

Mr. Nsofor, who represented the country Director of the Institute, Mr. Mattias Naab, told the governor that during the exercise, he would pose questions to stake-holders, including political parties and security agents, with a view to assessing the experience of 2003 and how best to improve on it to ensure a credible and acceptable result come 2007.

Mr. Nsofor also said that the Institute was a body interested in the electoral process in Nigeria and was determined to help ensure that the next year’s election was hitch free and very successful.

He told the governor that his group was a part of a large team from America consisting of Africans and past US Presidents who would deliberate on their findings for further analysis.

"What we have done at the state level will contribute to what they will act on their own assessment of Nigeria," Mr. Nsofor said.

The leader of the team said that members of his team were Nigerians, adding that they were
working towards checking a situation where foreigners come to tell Nigeria how to conduct
their affairs, adding that it was high time local contents in Nigeria's own assessment were
projected.

The IRI representative also told the governor that whatever the team would come up with at
Abuja in November when the delegates from the U.S.A. will arrive, would be a summary
of what they observed at the state level, which would also reflect the wishes of the grassroots.