Lawmaker urges FG to extend whistle-blowing policy to electoral fraud

By Anayo Okoli

UMUAHIA—IMMEDIATE  past Governor of Abia State and Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District in the National Asembly, Chief Theodore Orji has called on the Federal Government to extend its whistle-blowing policy to the nation’s electoral system which he said was fraught with corruption.

Addresseing a town hall meeting of his constituency held at  Umuahia North Council headquarters, weekend, Senator Orji noted that corruption “is not stealing of money alone but corruption abounds in different shapes in our polity”.

Decrying the high level of corruption in Nigeria’s electoral system, the law maker urged the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency beam its anti-corruption searchlight on the electoral system.

“Whistle-blowing is a good policy but it should not be limited to information about stolen money ; snatching of ballot papers is also corruption.

“No corruption can be worse than forging of election results. Electoral fraud is the worst form of corruption, and I think time has come for whistle blowers to also expose the perpetrators so that the system can be cleaned up”, Senator Orji declared.

He also used the forum to give account of his score board so far, saying that he has given a good account of himself at the red chambers and promised to do more.

According to him, he had so far moved three bills, and sponsored nine, one of of which he said has already been passed into an Act and awaiting presidential assent while others were at various stages of the process of passage.

He named some of the bills to include, “a bill for an Act to make provision for freedom from hunger, and the right to adequate food of acceptable quality, right of every child to basic nutrition and for connected purposes; national emergency bill; a bill for an Act to provide for national planning process , among others.

Orji also explained that he had performed well in attracting federal projects to his district naming some them to include electrification of Umuhute Azueke autonomous community in Umuahia North; Ahiaba/ Okpuala community electrification project; electrification of Nvosi 1 in Isialangwa South LGA as some of his achievements.

Others he name include provision of 500 KVA electricity transformers for Uwalaka Street/ Enugu Road,  Okpu in Osisioma, and solar- powered motorised borehole at Amuzu community in Osisioma LGA, and another at Umudara Ahuwa Oboro in Ikwuano LGA.

He assured of his resolve to sustain his scholarship scheme which has 220 undergraduates from the the six council areas in the zone have benefited from.

On the leadership crisis rocking the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Orji advised party faithful to remain calm as the SupremeCourt would soon give its judgement and lay the debacle to rest.

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