By Anayo Okoli
The Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, has called on the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, to make haste and sanitize the commission to rid it of dishonest personnel whose activities could derail the forthcoming April elections.

Abia State governorship candidate of the party, Chief Ako Atuloma, who made the call yesterday in Umuahia, while addressing journalists, also called on the Judiciary to refrain from granting injunctions capable of stalling the polls.

Atuloma’s position came against the backdrop of the missing of Abia State CPC’s list of candidates which was said to have been erroneously sent to Kebbi State.

When INEC released the list of candidates for the April polls, the party’s list was missing.

Worried by this mistake, Atuloma urged INEC to be thorough in the handling of affairs concerning political parties in order not to create the impression that it was not ready to conduct credible elections this year. He also urged the judiciary to be more nationalistic and not dance to the tune of some selfish interests of those bent on scuttling the elections.

According to Atuloma, the party in the state was shocked to learn that its list of candidates was missing at INEC office. The party, he said made frantic effort to ascertain where things went wrong. After cross-checking at the CPC national headquarters, nothing was discovered to be wrong with the Abia state CPC list, a development which led some top leaders of the party to visit INEC where it was discovered that the Abia state candidates’ list was sent to Kebbi State.

However, the list has since been returned and is now on display at INEC office in Umuahia, though few names of nominated candidates are still missing on the list

“It is shocking that an organization that has promised this country of free and fair elections can muddle up parties’ nomination forms. This has created doubts in the minds of people about the seriousness of INEC’s ability to actually manage this election. I begin to wonder why a form that was packaged to be sent to Abia, found its way to Kebbi. It is unfortunate that this is happening.

“I wish to use this opportunity to call on INEC to live up to the expectations of Nigerians. Prof Jega must look through the rank and file of INEC to ensure that some people within the system still poised to do dirty jobs and frustrate all his good efforts are shown the way out. Jega should look inwards and ensure that he sanitizes INEC because the same people that have been causing ripples in the system are still there. This is why things are not going straight. What happened is embarrassing” Atuloma lamented.

The CPC candidate assured his supporters that he was still very much in the race for Abia governorship position. He described what happened as a distraction and embarrassing as Abians who have been hoping for change did not see the CPC list. He attributed the development to opponents who were afraid of the growing popularity of the party in Abia.

“I call on our supporters not to be dismayed by these antics. They should be focused in their support for us because we are poised to effect a very positive and civilized change in this state and give Abia state what it ought to get as God’s Own state. With this snag over, we are going to carefully monitor every development at INEC until the elections are over”, Atuloma declared.

He also warned the Judiciary not to allow itself to be used to derail the 2011 election process and should exercise restraint in granting ex-parte orders. “I call on the Judiciary to be mindful of this nation called Nigeria and to be nationalistic in its approach to an issue like this”.

Atuloma also frowned at the attitude of the Abia state Government towards the opposition parties in the state, and called on the government to have a change of attitude and accommodate the opposition by allowing them access public facilities schools’ fields and stadium which have hitherto being at the exclusive use of the government in its campaigns.

He however expressed joy that the campaigns in the state have so far have been peaceful.