The Oba (Eze-Ogba) of Ogbaland and former Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Eminence, Sir (Dr.) Chukumela Nnam Obi II (OON, DSSRS, JP), has again called on the people of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State to be peaceful and resist any attempt to be used by desperate politicians to cause confusion before, during and after the forth coming general elections scheduled for February 16th and March 2nd 2019.
He also advised politicians in the area to guard against the use of uncomplimentary words as well as refrain from the use of thugs to cause public disturbances, noting that it would be an abuse of democracy to make innocent people suffer while political leaders engaged themselves in profane politics.
The Ogba monarch who gave the advice last weekend while addressing a stakeholders meeting made up of selected traditional rulers, chiefs, village heads, opinion leaders, the political class, religious leaders, security agents as well as youths and women leaders in his palace at Omoku ahead of the general elections warned that any person or group that foments trouble during or after the elections period no matter how highly placed or connected will be dealt with accordingly.
According to a statement signed by his Media Aide, Prince Charles Amadike – Otoboh, JP, the Eze Ogba was quoted as requesting politicians to play the game according to the rules, warning that any political party whose members were found causing confusion will be blacklisted in the area while its candidate(s) will be rejected by the people at the polls.
Oba Chukumela Obi, grand patron of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), who requested eligible voters in the area to be law abiding and resist any intimidation while casting their votes advised the people to vote wisely and quietly according to their conscience as elections should not be regarded as do or die affairs.
The royal father also requested Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) officials to guard against hoarding and hijacking of Election materials by dubious politicians. He also appealed that security personnel should not intimidate the electorates but protect all voting centres to maintain law and order.
He renewed his call on all Nigerians irrespective of religion, political affiliation, tribe, gender or position to pray fervently for a successful general election and also appealed to the political class, their followers to work towards eschewing bitterness and wished all Nigerians peaceful and credible 2019 general elections.
All those who spoke at the forum thanked Oba Chukumela Nnam Obi for arranging the important stakeholders’ meeting and promised that security agencies, INEC officials, leaders of various political parties, and opinion leaders in the area should do their best to ensure that all the elections are held peacefully in ONELGA to avoid what happened in the area in 2015.
It will be recalled that the Ogba Monarch while receiving various aspirants had admonished them to go about their campaigns peacefully and avoid name callings, incitements and beating of war drums.
