*issues Oct ultimatum
*blames elites
From Chuks Collins, Awka
May7, 2012
A civil rights group, Movement for The conduct of Local Govt Elections, under the leadership of Comarade Ositadinma Obi has given the state government upto Oct 1, 2012 to conduct council elections in the state, or face mass street to street protest of an unimaginable proportion all over the state.
The protest according the group would involve every citizen of the state- market men/women, school children, teachers, the artisans, commuters, commuter bus drivers/conductors, bankers, religious leaders, traditional rulers, community leaders, politicians, undergraduates, graduates and the unemployed who have feeling the pangs of misrule all over the state since 2006.
Addressing a mammoth crowd that assembled the Arroma Freedom Square , yesterday in Awka, the group stated that the non-conduct of local government elections in the state since 2003 has led to the high level decay and underdevelopment in virtually every sector of the state’s economic life.
That the ugly trend has denied no fewer than 10, 000 persons the opportunity of being useful to themselves and the society ever since. He argued that “the only plausible reason behind Gov peter Obi’s obstinacy is financial-simply put, greed.”
Comrade pointed out that the security challenges confronting the state presently since the inception of the administration in 2006 could be better tackled by empowering the people through the immediate conduct of local government election.
The group expressed the deep concern over what it saw as unusual silence and docility of the state’s elite class who have kept silent over the situation for so long. They asked rhetorically, “where are the Andy Ubas, Chris Ngiges, Chukwuma Soludos, Annie Okonkwos, the religious leaders, community leaders and monarchs”.
From Arroma square they matched round the streets of awka, under the watchful eyes of security agents. They also paid courtesy visits to the Anglican Bishop of Awka, Alex Ibezim and his Catholic counterpart, Bishop Simon Ezeokafor.
