BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
The election fixed to elect new executives for the Igbo Community Calabar (ICC) was declared inconclusive by the Chief Returning Officer, Barr. Sam Eboh.
It would be recalled that Eboh was duly voted amongst other members by the delegates from the five Igbo states to conduct the election as stipulated by the constitution.
There are 14 positions to be contested for as enshrined in the Igbo Community constitution.
The committee decided to start from the rear to the top. The President was zoned to Abia state.
Reacting to the committee’s decision to call off the remaining two positions, Barr. Eboh said, “it becomes imperative to postpone the remaining two positions as there seem an attempt by some persons to breach the constitution.”
The position of Public Relations Officer and President was zoned to Abia state but the three candidates must be voted for as the constitution did not provide for any stepping down nor unopposed posture”.
“The three nominees must be voted for by the delegates from the five Igbo Community Calabar. This is what the constitution says, you cannot at this point ignore the constitution and I said to my members that we have to shut down here to allow some decorum”.
The constitution says in an event such as this, an election shall be conducted within 30 days. But let me assure you, we shall conduct elections within two weeks to fill the vacant positions”.
“The Constitution must be obeyed. It is a family thing. We shall come out of it. You saw the other elections. There were three nominees and they were voted for. Why is Abia people pretending when it is there turn to produce the President. The people have the right to choose who to be their leader, he noted”.
The Igbo Community Calabar is made up of Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo states.
The election was progressively democratic until it got to Abia state’s turn to produce the President and the PRO for the Igbo Community Calabar.
Barr. Eboh commended Cross River State Governor, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade for sending a representative from the office of SSA to monitor the election.
He lauded representative of Eze-Igbo, Nna Ndi-igbos, Ndi Nze na Ozo, Ndi-okenwa for the maturity and fatherly advise as well as the out-going executives and the leaders of Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States.
He sued for calm as the two positions shall soon be filled through electoral process.
Eboh also thanked the security personnel at the venue for the maturity and most especially the State Security Adviser, Sir Mboto for his interest in ensuring that the Igbos are united in the state.
“For the delegates, he assured that the time wasted was not in vein as the remaining issues shall be trashed out soon, he added”
Before the decision was made Abia state delegates had walked out of the hall insisting that their candidate be declared winner thereby “over riding the constitution”.
Earlier, the out gone President, Sir. Obi Oyeka, had thanked all that supported his administration till this day and prayed God to honour them.
There were 45 delegates accredited during the peaceful election.
There was no Security threat of any form during thehe election.
