The Cross River state governor, Sir Ben Ayade yesterday in Calabar described free and fair elections as the catalyst for national unity and an antidote against voter apathy.
Ayade made the assertion while playing host to the new Cross River State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Cyril Omoregbe, at the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Calabar.
The governor urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be wary of desperate lobbyists and politicians and not allow itself to be compromised but remain neutral and committed to his duty.
“We must go through the 2023 elections in peace under your superintendence. You must, therefore, have the moral conscience to do that which is fair as politicians will always seek to lobby and subvert the will of the people,” Ayade maintained
He reminded the new REC that “politics involves lobbying and persuasion for somebody to do your bidding. And persuasion comes in different forms but the moral that guides your conscience and actions should determine how you handle such situation”
The state governor averred that when the outcome of an election is not free and fair, voters tend to feel they wasted their time voting and may not vote next time, adding, “therefore, if there is anything I ask of you, it is just fairness.”
Earlier in his speech, Dr. Omorogbe assured that INEC was committed to free and fair elections and appealed to residents of the state who have attained voting age to come out and register during the second quarter of the continuous voter registration exercise which begins on October 4, 2021 and ends on December 20, 2021.
