Groups plan recall of South East Senators; ‘They must account for their egregious dereliction of duty’ – Anambra Professionals

Some groups in the South East geo-political zone are mobilizing to begin recall proceedings against Senators from the zone who  absented themselves from the crucial vote on the Electoral Act Amendment bill which decided on electronic transmission of election results, as well as those who voted against the adoption of electronic transmission of results.

According to counts taken by prominent members of some of these groups, out of the 15 Senators from the five South East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, eight were present in the Red Chamber where the clause supporting electronic transmission of votes was, literally, struck out of the bill that was passed by the upper chamber. Six were said to have voted in support of use of electronic transmission of results, two voted against the clause while seven were absent.

Anger against the absentee Senators and those that that voted ‘Nay’ has been growing like wild fire across the zone, with some commentators labeling them saboteurs and others insinuating that they may have been in one way or the other compromised, especially after the dinner with the President.

Electronic transmission of results is seen as the best way to stop or significantly minimize electoral fraud, especially rigging, inflation of votes and use of thugs for ballot box snatching and stuffing as well as for intimidation of electoral officials to change figures, which practices have always made nonsense of most election results in the country.

The leaders of the groups say they are perfecting strategies to begin the collection of signatures that would be forwarded to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to indicate vote of no confidence in the affected Senators as the first stage of the recall process.

But while the leaders of these incensed groups are pleading anonymity to be able to mobilize sufficiently for the recall of the affected Senators, especially since none of them have given believable reasons for their absence or ‘Nay’ votes, the League of Anambra Professionals (LAP), a formidable elite group of Anambra people, has written a stinker to the affected Senators from their state denouncing their conduct.

The group, in a statement by its President, Chijioke Okoli, SAN, said that its members “are in paralysing shock” over the action of the lawmakers and assured them that they “must account for this egregious dereliction of duty, if not now then in the near future.”

Full text of the LAP statement reads:

*A message sent to the senators from Anambra State by the League of Anambra Professionals (LAP)*

Distinguished Senator,

Greetings.

Discerning Anambra State indigenes including especially those of us in the League of Anambra Professionals [LAP] are in paralysing shock that you and the other Senators from our state were absent during the momentous vote in the Senate on the Electoral Act Amendment bill.

Please be put on notice that LAP shall put you to task before the Anambra state people/electorate. You must account for this egregious dereliction of duty, if not now then in the near future.

It is axiomatic that it is this kind of leadership disconnect and irresponsibility that helped in providing oxygen for the growth and the nihilistic excesses of IPOB and the youths in our area.

It beggars belief that the existential socio-political turbulence which has engulfed our land has not taught our political leadership (of which you constitute a prominent part) that the tide has changed irrevocably and it can no longer be business as usual where political representatives represent anything but the interests of the people on whose behalf they are wielding power-

Chijioke Okoli, SAN (Orji Nnewi);

President,

The League of Anambra Professionals ( LAP)