The national leadership of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has condemned the purported state election held in Ebonyi State, declaring it illegal, null, and void.
The National President of the Association, Comrade Isaiah Benjamin, made the declaration on Friday while reacting to the purported election, which was said to have produced Ndubuisi Nwogha as Chairman.
The president expressed dismay over the obviously compromised Electoral Committee Chairman, who, in connivance with a few individuals and in total negligence of his Committee Secretary and members, gathered in a place to carry out a kangaroo meeting without due diligence and respect for the statutes of the Association.
Benjamin enjoined all genuine members of the Association at all levels to disregard the purported election and all results emanating from it.
He added that the national leadership of the body would soon provide further communication regarding the illegality.
Benjamin said, “Whatever they have done is illegal, and it cannot stand.
“Let me reiterate that I am not for anybody. I am for everybody, but justice must be done.
“No matter what it takes, if this is the last thing I do, this insanity must not stand.
“I even told the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development himself, and he saw the letter postponing the election based on obvious inconsistencies in the entire process.
“How can 15 people just go and gather somewhere and say they have held an election?
“What nonsense! Who does that?
“In a few days, we will make a decision on that, and it will be communicated accordingly to everybody in power, including security: the police, DSS, the Civil Defence, and others.”
Recall that the Ebonyi SWAN election, scheduled to hold on Friday, 26th December 2024, at 10 a.m., was postponed indefinitely with a letter from the office of the National President in the early hours of the said date.
The reasons for the postponement, according to the letter, were based on non-adherence to the statutes of who qualifies to vote and be voted for, petitions on the grounds that needed to be addressed, and issues surrounding allegations of non-practicing journalists and sports writers, among others.
The Electoral Committee Chairman, Chukwuemeka Opara, in defiance of the postponement letter, went ahead, in collusion with the National Vice President, Southeast, and some state government functionaries, to hold a kangaroo election.
Meanwhile, a cross-section of SWAN members in the state has condemned the actions of Chukwuemeka Opara and the National Vice President, Southeast, Ikemefuna Asika, describing it as gross insubordination that should not go unpunished.
Some of them who spoke to newsmen, including Chinedu Ngwuta and Pascal Ikele, described the development as quite disturbing and admonished that all the dissenters should be adequately reprimanded to save the association from national embarrassment.
SWAN National leadership declares purported Ebonyi election illegal
