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3rd February, 2010
ANAMBRA DECIDES 2010
We the leadership of the Patriotic Alliance of Nigeria (PAN) an electoral alliance of progressive political parties have been following with keen interest the gubernatorial electioneering campaigns in Anambra State, which draws to a close in the next fourty-eight hours.
We commend the contestants particularly the leading six in the following order APGA, PPA, AC, HOPE, PDP, and LP, for a very robust and exciting campaign. We hope and pray that this fine example of democratic engagement is sustained right through to the voting proper and announcement of results.
On no account should the ugly monsters of inducement of the electorate, voter register manipulation, ballot box stuffing or snatching, polling booth capture, election result sheet doctoring, bribery of electoral officials, threats, intimidation and violence through thuggery rear their ugly heads.
We call on the electoral management body (INEC) to hold the ring of contest firmly and impartially. It must not favour any candidate by giving him/her the results sheets in advance. We give kudos to INEC for certain innovations like the setting up of the Anambra Election Monitoring Board, which is suggestive of a commitment to conducting a credible election. It has been stated in several quarters that the 6th February2010, elections is make or break for INEC, and a litmus test for the critical 2011 elections.
To the electorate we urge patriotism and vigilance. They must resist the temptation to trade of their sovereign authourity through the ballot box for a mess of pottage. They must perform their civic responsibility by voting conscientiously and seeing that their votes are counted and protected. The heavy price to pay for voter apathy or non challance is irresponsible and anti-people government.
Without fear or equivocation we commend Governor Peter Obi for the level playing field, competition and spiritedness we have witnesssed in this campaign. Without his democratic disposition and tolerance this would not have been possible. The usual scenerio in Nigeria is that incumbents use their control of state machinery to run out of town or intimidate their challengers. We recommend this democratic behaviour to other chief executives be they at local, state or national level.
We are justifiably proud of our political association with Governor Obi. It may be recalled that in November 2008, we had bestowed on him the award of ROCK OF DEMOCRACY and EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNANCE. Again on 3rd September 2009, we urged him to seek another term in office to enable him complete his on- going projects and consolidate ANIDS forever. We recommended him for nomination by his party APGA and endorsed him as our preferred candidate for the upcoming elections in 2010.
Several months on we do not have any reasons whatsoever to regret nor review our stand. We therefore at this moment of decision reaffirm our earlier endorsement. We strongly recommend him to the good people of Anambra State. We direct all our members, supporters associates, and indeed the entire voters of Anambra state to troop out en-masse on 6th February 2010 and return Mr. Peter Obi (OKWUTE) to Government House Awka with an overwhelming mandate.
For PAN;
- ACTION ALLIANCE (AA)
- ACTION PARTY OF NIGERIA (APN)
- CITIZENS POPULAR PARTY (CPP)
- MASSES MOVEMENT OF NIGERIA (MMN)
- MONEMENT FOR DEMOCRACY AND JUSTICE (MDJ)
- NIGERIA PEOPLES CONGRESS (NPC)
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