Ebonyi Tipper Drivers Elect New Chairman, Hails Nwifuru For Free, Fair Election

By Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki

The chairman of Ebonyi Tippers Drivers Union, Comrade Onicha Chinedu has commended the governor, Francis Nwifuru on the success of the union's election in the state which saw his emergence as the leader in the state. Comrade Onicha who stated this to newsmen shortly after the election in pa Ngele Oruta township stadium Abakaliki on Saturday lauded the governor for ensuring peaceful and free and fair election in the state.

He described the exercise as transparent and appreciated the security agencies for making the election a peaceful one and enjoined other contestants to come together to make the union greater. The newly elected chairman also thanked members for their massive turn out and assured them of toeing the path of the state governor on his people's Charter of Needs, by ensuring that the basic needs of the union is tackled for their general good. "I want to thank the state governor, His Excellency, Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for giving us a free and peaceful election and the state commissioner for works, Hon Lebechi Mbam for ensuring that there's absolute tranquility during and after the exercise. "I equally thanked the Special Assistant to the state governor on Transport, members of the past executive of the union and my fellow contestants who allowed the will of the people to come to play. "It is with heart of gratitude that I appreciate every members of the union in the state for founding me worthy to represent them in the capacity of the chairman and one thing I assured them is that, I will never disappoint them.

Also speaking, the state commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr Lebechi Mbam who described the electioneering process as being smooth and transparent to the admiration of members of the union and commended the electoral committee for displaying maturity thanking them for the job well done. "I wish to first of all commend the state governor for allowing all unions in the state to choose leaders of their choices. "The election as you can see, there was no irregularities, it was pure free and fair. Members of the union gathered en mass and there was joy in their heart after they elected their new leader. Everything was transparent. "So, it was like a secret ballot and there was a lot of eye witnesses, and my joy is that there was nothing like imposing of any leader on the people. Our correspondent reports that Mr Onicha Sunday emerged as the winner of the election which started by 9 o'clock in the morning. Thereafter, the winner was declared and certificate of return was issued to the winners.