[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he recent statement credited to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami revealing the possibility of the Federal Government to invoke a state of emergency in Anambra State is a political gambit that should be roundly rejected by all lovers of genuine democracy.
It is worrisome that the Buhari led APC administration could contemplate emergency rule rather than find a means of containing and addressing insecurity in Anambra State considering that a gubernatorial election is around the corner. The statement was a clear indication that the FG has finally settled for reactionary approach to issues when it is expected to be proactive in tackling such sensitive matters.
Sincerely the security situation in Anambra State has assumed an alarming proportion since political parties commenced campaigns for the forthcoming November 6th gubernatorial election. The indiscriminate killings has been widely condemned by well meaning individuals and groups in the state who were actually looking up to government for a peaceful resolution.
The latest threat of emergency rule on the other hand has been vehemently condemned by the PDP, Afenifere, Ohaneze, Lawyers and many others, considering its possible negative impact on the future of the state vis-a-vis the need for an enabling environment to exercise their constitutional rights without fear or favour.
However, imposing a state of emergency in Anambra State before the forthcoming election can only validate the previous statement of the APC National Campaign Chairman and Governor of Imo State Hope Uzodimma that APC will take the state by all means possible. It is important to note that such move can only deepen the already charged agitations given that it cannot conveniently address the cause.
To this end, it is becoming clear that most elected public officers, political appointees among other prominent personalities that defected from various political platforms to the APC may have been secretly informed about the evolving acts of violence and possibility of taking advantage of it to deliver the APC candidate using state actors and institutions of government.
This is an ill wind that blows no good. The good people of Anambra State should know that our democracy is under attack. The people joining this OPPRESSION TAKE BY FORCE are the real enemies of the masses and should be roundly rejected and resisted from rigging at the ballot come November 6th. They are all out to aggrandize their selfish objectives to the detriment of the citizens.
This development is enough to inform Ndi Anambra that violence and money politics for which APC intraparty and inter-party elections has been characterized over the years is directly responsible for the nation’s present security, economic and sociopolitical challenges. What more can the masses expect from a political party that doctored the Petroleum Industry Act to suit their selfish intentions rather than serve the interest of Nigerians generally?
The effort made by the APC administration which mobilized massively to kill electronic transmission of election results against the recommendations of the electoral umpire INEC in my opinion is more costly when compared to the time and logistics needed to address the raging genocide in Anambra State.
Take it or leave it, the information going round in all Anambra State communities today is that the APC wants to take over the government house by force, even if it means killing everybody. How can the FG not see the handwriting on the wall and do the needful? Why can’t they allow the good people of Anambra State to elect their leaders peacefully noting that violent agitations in Nigeria increased the moment unacceptable political leaders began to force themselves on the masses?
The solution to Anambra State security challenges is simple and should not in any way be compared to the complex security situation in the north east and north west where the need for emergency rule is long overdue. People who agitate against marginalization and the right for inclusion should not be compared to people who kill, destroy properties and take hostages for ransome.
Diplomatic approach through dialogue and good governance through a change of mindset and body language of the ruling coalition is all that is required to address the raging storm. This is a clarion call for Anambrarians to shun violence and embrace peace by voting for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party Valentine Ozigbo who has been preaching nothing but peace and good governance from the onset till this moment.
And the best part is that he has what it takes to steer the ship of leadership without dragging the state into more violence driven by agitations against maladministration and plunging it into more debts that might be too much for even the unborn generations of Anambrarians to repay.
Tony Ezike, Deputy Director, Media and Communications, Anambra State PDP Campaign Council.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
