The Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP has said it would not embark on protests against the November 2 Local Government election or institute any legal actions against the Chairman of Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, ABSIEC, Professor George Chima.
The Action Alliance, AA and the Allied People’s Movement, APM had recently called for the removal of ABSIEC Chairman Professor George Chima, a boycott of the elections and also called for a peaceful protest as well as a threat to stop the local government election through legal actions.
The aggrieved parties based their reasons on alleged high administration fees charged by ABSIEC and other inconveniences.
But the CUPP, which spoke through Joseph Ulu, State Secretary and Larry Charles, Legal Adviser on Saturday, rejected the AA and APM calls, saying that such decisions did not emanate from the secretariat of CUPP.
“Those calling for the removal of ABSIEC chairman are either suffering from temporary insanity or plain stupidity if not how can a sane mind call for the removal of ABSIEC chairman who was barely who was appointed barely few weeks ago and has done absolutely nothing to warrant for such request.”
They maintained that all political parties in the state have so far enjoyed fair treatment by ABSIEC and wondered why the calls for protest, boycott or removal of the ABSIEC Chairman.
“The emergence of ABSIEC administration of fees did not start with the present administration; rather it has been and with a downward review of the administrative fee, CUPP makes bold to say it is the cheapest in the history of Abia local government elections.
“The CUPP have resolved not to embark on any protest or institute any legal action against ABSIEC and hereby call on security agents to watch out for incoherent pondering persons who are planning to truncate the peaceful conduct of peaceful election in Abia State”.
The CUPP Executives warned that the calls for protests, legal actions and boycott of elections may cause serious political crises in Abia.
Earlier, ABSIEC Chairman, Prof George Chima, assured all political parties of fairness and transparent conduct of the election, “We are following our guidelines and everyone is being carried along”.
