FORUM OF GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATES IN DELTA URGES INEC TO MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS

The Forum of Governorship Candidates in Delta state has congratulated the 17 governorship candidates of the various political parties whose names have been released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the 2023 election.

The congratulatory message is contained in a communique made available to newsmen on Tuesday at a press conference at the end of the group’s meeting in Asaba.

In the communique, which was read by the Chairman of the Forum and Delta state governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Prince Henry Eze, the body said it was sequel to the October 12 date set by INEC for the commencement of governorship campaigns.

The Forum commended INEC for a job well done so far, especially in monitoring the governorship primaries to ensure that they were in tune with the Electoral Act (as amended).

It, however, urged the Electoral Umpire to sustain the tempo as the electoral process progressed, insisting that INEC must be neutral and unbiased with a view to allowing a level playing ground for all contestants in next year’s polls 

The governorship candidates stressed that the right information should be passed to the political parties, using the appropriate channels of communication, including the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) office, and called on security agencies to display the highest level of professionalism and be apolitical in the discharge of electoral duties.

The Forum appealed to the Delta State Governnent not to deny any political party access to public facilities for rallies and campaigns, while the media should give equal and adequate coverage to all political parties fielding candidates for the elections to enable the electorate to make informed choices.

It emphasized the need for issue based campaigns devoid of calumny, character assassination, unfounded rumour and hate speech, among others, citing a recent television interview in which a governorship candidate, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi reportedly referred to a co-contestant, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori as an ex- convict, as barbaric and condemnable.

The governorship hopefuls promised to congratulate whoever would emerge as Governor of Delta state in a free, fair and credible election.