Chief Whip of the Senate and former Governor of Abia state, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has called on the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider holding 2023 general elections on the same day, saying that it would reduce cost and rigging.
Kalu said presidential election, national assembly, governorship and state house of assembly elections could be concurrently taken care of on the same day rather than having staggered dates for them.
In a statement he personally signed and issued on Thursday, Kalu said holding 2023 elections on the same day would minimize cost, give the electorate opportunity to vote their genuine choicee and protect their votes.
Kalu also cited United States, Ghana and Sierra Leone as countries practising same-day election, adding that Nigeria would not be out of place to do the same.
The statement partly reads, “INEC should conduct the 2023 elections same day as staggered elections are unnecessarily expensive. The conduct of the elections in different days give room for rigging, thuggery and several vices . It also puts the lives of the voters and INEC officials on intense danger.
“When elections are conducted on the same day, popular candidates will emerge because everyone will be busy in their polling units and zones unlike different days. The cost of running two days elections will also reduced.
“To deepen our democracy, we need to get the elections right. When leaders with genuine interests of the people are voted to power, they provide exceptional leadership and infrastructure to their people.”
Meanwhile, Kalu who is galvanising membership of the APC in Abia State, has expanded the frontiers of the party in the state.
A first time senator , Kalu was in June bestowed with the prestigious Senate award for constituency development in recognition of his impressive representation and facilitation of massive constituency projects in his Abia North Senatorial zone by the Senate Press Corps during it awards ceremony in 2021.
Kalu had built 19 roads in 2020 and has 21 ongoing roads in 2021.
He had also built hospitals and rebuilt several schools.
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