2019: South-East traditional rulers’ council assures on credible elections

Igwe Charles Mkpuma, Vice-Chairman, South-East Traditional Rulers Council, says it has embarked on aggressive programmes to enthrone a free, fair and credible elections in the area in 2019.
Igwe Mkpuma, who is also the Chairman, Traditional Rulers Council of Ebonyi, assured the people and Nigerians that the 2019 general elections would be peaceful and a success in communities in the South-East.
The royal father gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Abakaliki as the country marked its 58th independence anniversary.
He said that the sensitisation programmes were geared towards achieving sustainable peace, credible and fair elections during and after the processes.
He said: “We, the rraditional rulers in the South-East, especially in Ebonyi have engaged our subjects on intensive enlightenment to enable them maintain discipline and shun thuggery in their respective domains.
“The enlightenment is a continuous process whereby the electorate are advised on the need to obtain their Permanent Voters’ Cards and not to sell them.”
He advised the people not to allow themselves to be influenced or induced by anyone rather they should vote according to their conscious.
Mkpum said: “We have had series of meetings in Ezzanma Autonomous community, Ezza-South Local Government Area, while other related programmes are still ongoing.
“They are adhering to the purpose of the seminars held so far and violence will not be witnessed because of the wide sensitisation.”
The traditional ruler of Amagu Autonomous community in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi, Eze Dominic Aloh, also expressed satisfaction with the successes recorded during the sensitisations for a credible exercise.
He commended the high rate of compliance in his domain.
Aloh, who also spoke on behalf of Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone, said that all the cabinet members gathered weekly and were educated on the need for their subjects to shun violence.
He said: “Normally, the cabinet members disseminate the information in their different villages.
“We have been going round various communities sensitising and educating the masses, mostly youths who acknowledged that they were often used during the exercise but now responding to our advice.”
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of Agbaja Autonomous community in Izzi Local Government Area, Eze Emmanuel Nwojiji, told NAN that the advocacy had been carried out in schools, town hall meetings, market places and social gatherings.
Nwojiji said that there was always response by the people of Ebonyi North-Central each time they were called upon.
Nwojiji said: “We have been playing our roles as royal fathers by advising our subjects on peace and the proper things to do.”
The traditional ruler of Okposi Kingdom in Ohaozara LGA, Eze Cosmas Agwu, also told NAN that he made the collection of PVCs mandatory and imposed fine on whoever that failed to comply with the directives.
Agwu, who is from Ebonyi South Central, added that the action had yielded results.
He added: “Town criers go round the clans to pass information on the importance of peace and PVCs for choosing leaders of their choice, making bank transactions and other related matters.”