Community newspapers calls for free & fair election

----as Delta local govt elections holds on Saturday

By Owho Warri

The Association of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN), Delta State Chapter has called on the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) to ensure that the Local Government elections slated for January 6, 2018 is conducted under free and fair atmosphere.

The Chairman of the Association, comrade Jude Obiemenyego disclosed this to journalists in an interview at Asaba, stressing that the responsibility of the Association is to promote good governance, educate, entertain, inform, sensitize and uphold professional ethics through peaceful co-existence and unity through information dissemination.

Obiemenyego emphasized that ACNPN which is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Umbrella body for credible Community Newspaper in the state would appreciate DSIEC as unbiased umpire to play the role of scrutinizing the candidates, background, manifestoes, philosophies, ideologies, provide robust platform for candidates, be transparent in its electoral process without favoring any political party in the election.

The ACNPN chairman pointed out that the Commission should promote free and fair election for the sixteen political parties and 1,089 candidates participating in the election by engaging investigative role of revealing anything that is directly or remotely suggestive of potentials compromise of electoral ethics for doing this, the commission should be free and fair to every contestant involved in the electoral process.

The Chairman maintained that the important role of the Commission in the political life of the society is anchored on the electioneering process, if the election structural integrity is compromised or defective through the commission’s activities, there could be serious problem resulting from such compromise or defect which may have significant upheaval and disaster in many places in the world.

Obiemenyego advised DSIEC to play the role of unbiased umpire effectively by ensuring security of lives and properties during the Local Government elections by educating the contestants on the need to embrace peace because politics is not a do-or die affair. He further advised the commission to release elections materials on time to the local government areas to enable the electorates vote at the appropriate time, and pleaded with DSIEC to caution candidates for elections to avoid making inflammatory statements that can ignite crisis.