Amidst concerns following rumours of likely violence in the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections in Enugu State, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, has charged voters to be extra vigilant.
He challenged them to defend their votes as means of eliminating politicians that have turned the economic resources of the state into private enterprises.
Edeoga gave the charge while addressing party leaders and supporters from Aninri and Awgu Local Government Areas.
He said he was aware of plans by certain political actors in the state to use violence and thuggery to influence the outcome of the polls but believes that the people can resist such plans when united in resilience.
He thanked voters in Enugu State for springing the Labour Party to victory in the Presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections on February 25, and called for a repeat of the same feat on Saturday to cement the emergence of Labour Party as the new platform for freedom and expedited development in the state.
According to him, voting for LP was important because it will reinforce the massive support given to the party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during the last elections, adding that it will serve as further proof that the votes cast in Enugu was no fluke, especially given that the election is currently being contested in court.
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He reminded the people of the state that the direction of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was for people to stay at their polling centres until results are counted and uploaded and urged them to resist any attempt by any electoral officer or agent to move away from polling stations or collation centres without announcing and uploading the results to the INEC portal.
“Eternal vigilance is the price of democracy. I am therefore begging and pleading that everybody from our different local governments, once the results are announced, make this final sacrifice for democracy and freedom in Enugu State. Move to INEC headquarters in Enugu State. We must occupy, we must be vigilant we must wait. If we lose one night’s sleep around INEC in Enugu, we would have paid a reasonable price for our liberty and democracy.
I am calling on you to come prepared,” he said.