Helen Mbakwe, the senatorial candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the Anambra Central Senatorial District, explained to Ikenna Obianeri why she lost the election and shared her thoughts on the remuneration of National Assembly members. She began by describing her disappointment with the ballot papers: despite extensive campaigning and voter education about the NNPP and its logo, the party’s name and emblem were blurred on the ballots. “That was my first disappointment,” she said, adding that she had expected the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to have resolved such issues by now. The problem was compounded by other irregularities, such as INEC officials arriving late and the voting schedule in her neighbourhood starting at 1:05 p.m. instead of the announced early‑morning start and 2:30 p.m. finish.
When asked about her next steps, Mbakwe said she would pursue legal action. “I am talking with my lawyer and I will pray for the cancellation of the election in the senatorial district,” she declared. Although she has congratulated the declared winner, Victor Umeh, she is simultaneously challenging the result in court. She thanked the people of Anambra Central for exercising their voting rights but reiterated that INEC had denied her the opportunity to serve.
Mbakwe argued that the blurred logo was not a mere error but a deliberate omission. She noted that other parties’ logos were correctly printed, while the NNPP’s emblem—a map of Nigeria with a basket of fruits—was replaced by an unrecognizable image. Voters at a polling unit around 4 p.m. asked INEC officials to point out the NNPP on the ballot, only to be met with confusion. “The commission spent a huge sum of money and resources in conducting this election, but their performance did not justify the expenditure. It was shameful,” she said. The same issue affected the presidential and National Assembly ballots, prompting the NNPP’s national leadership to file a report with INEC.
Regarding the broader question of legislative remuneration, Mbakwe emphasized that the National Assembly should not be a “retirement home” or a venue for personal enrichment. She advocated for legislators to be paid like civil servants, with modest stipends that complement their service rather than large salaries and allowances. She suggested limiting members to a single term to inject fresh ideas and curb the tendency of politicians to view public office as a source of income.
On the matter of governors transitioning to the Senate after their tenure, Mbakwe criticized the practice as a “promotion” driven by personal ambition rather than public service. She called for legislation to prevent the Senate from becoming a retirement abode for former governors, insisting that the chamber should be reserved for those who genuinely wish to serve. Concluding, she affirmed her commitment to politics as a means of serving Nigeria, which is why she joined the NNPP and its ideals.
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