Constituents Carpet Sen. Ekwunife Over Absence During Voting For Electoral Act Amendment Bill

The Senator representing Anambra Central, Uche Ekwunife has been queried and criticised by members of her Constituency for absenting herself from plenary on July 15, 2021, when voting on Electoral Act (Amendment ) Bill 2021, took place.

Some senators have been accused of absenteeism, while others have been accused of voting against the electronic transmission of results from the polling units, during the clause by clause consideration of report of the Senate Committee on INEC on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill last week.

The constituents under the aegis of Obosi Development Union (ODU), in a statement Wednesday jointly signed by their President, Goddy Ikebuaku, and Secretary Chimezie Obi and made available to newsmen in Awka, the Anambra State capital, said Ekwunife’s absence was a “mark of her insensitivity and disconnection with the constituents.”

The statement reads in part; “As our representative in the National Assembly, we expect that when very sensitive and important decisions of voting is taking place in the Senate, you will not only make yourself available but also use every means possible to lobby your colleagues especially those from the North because of their numerous strength to support initiative that will advance the cause of your constituents.

“Unless satisfactory explanation is offered, our members and your constituents at large are inclined to view your action as typical of politicians who profit or hope to profit from election result manipulation that has bedeviled our electoral system and frustrated the desires of the people to elect Representatives of their choice as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution as amended.”