THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described the conduct and outcome of last Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State as a welcome development for the 2011 general election in the country.

For the first time since the advent of democracy in the country in 1999, the NLC said it was happy that the election was largely successful as a winner had emerged through the ballot.

Specifically, the congress expressed satisfaction that the election was largely free from violence and the characteristic malpractices that had become the hallmark of elections in the past.

In a statement signed by the NLC president, Mr Abdulwahed Omar, the NLC congratulated the people of Anambra State for the peaceful conduct of the governorship election.

Omar said: “The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) hereby congratulates the people of Anambra State for the peaceful conduct of the governorship election on Saturday, February 6, 2010.

“Congress believes that the election which was largely free from violence and the characteristic malpractices that have become the hallmark of elections in the past is a welcome development in the country as we approach another general election come 2011. The NLC is happy that the election was largely successful as a winner has emerged through the ballot.

However, the NLC stressed the need to quickly acknowledge the fact that there were noticeable fundamental flaws in the process or conduct of the election, which included the mix up in voters’ registers, leading to the disenfranchisement of many voters; instances where many people were unable to find their names in the voters’ registers; late arrival of polling materials and in a few instances the complete absence of electoral officials.