OKECHUKWU ONUEGBU writes about the worry of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over insecurity in Anambra state which if not addressed may lead to constitutional crisis should the governorship election not hold.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on September 29, expressed worry over the insecurity in Anambra state, lamenting that the situation if unattended to could lead to constitutional crisis.
The commission has slated to conduct a governorship election in the state on November 6, 2021 because the tenure of the incumbent governor Willie Obiano will expire March 17, 2022.
The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, stated this through a representative, Mr Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, while speaking at a forum on ‘Inclusive Election in Anambra and Beyond’, organised by INEC Press Corp in Abuja.
He said, “By virtue of the provisions of Section 1978(2) of the Constitution and Section 25(8) of the Electoral Act, election into the office of a state governor shall hold not earlier than 150 and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office. The commission needs a safe and secure environment for efficient and professional deployment of staff and materials.
“We must realise that young men and women doing their National Youth Service form the bulk of our presiding officers. Some of them are the only sons and daughters of their parents. Some of them graduated from school through determined perseverance in the face of hardship.
“We, therefore, have a responsibility to protect them in the performance of this national assignment. No form of insurance can cover for the loss of one life and the commission will on no account compromise on the safety and welfare of these individuals and all other staff that will be deployed for the election.”
It could be recalled that the state is bedeviled by attacks by gunmen, cult rivalry war and related crimes in recent time.
Between September 25 to October 4, gunmen had killed over 20 people, destroyed private and public property across the state.
Some of the casualties recorded included: Dr Chike Akunyili, husband of late Prof Dora Akunyili, erstwhile Director General of NAFDAC; and Dr Lawrence Ezenwa. Dr Chike was killed at Nkpor, Idemili North by gunmen while returning from a ceremony where his late wife was bequeathed with a posthumous award, but Lawrence and his driver were killed at Nnewi as he was driving to his wife home, Ukpor, Nnewi South LGA.
The gunmen also unleashed mayhem on some police stations, offices of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Directorate of State Services (DSS) and Mr Joe Igbokwe’s house at Ajali in Orumba north and Nnewi in Nnewi North.
There were also the scars of gunshots at the entrance gates of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi, indicating that they made an attempt to break into the premises.
Similarly, some political rallies and politicians driving political branded vehicles equally suffered in the hands of the hoodlums by either sustaining injury, burnt of their vehicles or outright killing of occupants of the vehicles.
For instance, it occurred at Uruagu Nnewi leading to death and maiming of some members of the APC. Similar fate befell some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) at Nnobi, Idemili South LGA; and Hon. Chris Azubogu’s driver died and his vehicles burnt.
Blueprint learnt that, “as a result, nobody is sleeping with two eyes closed in the state. Majority of Nigerians doubt that INEC will be conducting election this year.
Consequently, the threats have caused all the governorship candidates to either sustain or increase their online (or social media) campaigns or to attend events in disguise, unannounced or through representatives.
Only the PDP candidate, Mr Valentine Ozigbo and his counterparts in the APC, Senator Andy Uba publicly announced suspension of their campaign activities.
The duo also commiserated with families of those who lost lives and property to the destructive orgy of suspected IPOB members and appealed to South East leaders to find lasting solution to it.
The security threats have also led to indefinite postponement of several social events in the state. Among them are the governorship debates organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) earlier scheduled for September 30, and Anambra Media Summit and Awards night earlier planned to hold on October 3.
Aside the insecurity, the frequent sit-at-home order and “no referendum, no election” slogan being preached by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is a serious factor to be considered.
IPOB had resorted to movement and business shutdown in Anambra and other South East states due to re-arrest of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The order is been complied to by both private and public institutions, traders and commuters in the south east.
The every Monday sit-at-home order and removal of Nigeria flags from all institutions, seemed to be receiving positive responses. Banks, schools, other institutions and persons in Anambra state currently avoid “Green, White and Green” colours and Coat of Arms.
The compliance is said not to be unconnected with the intimidation of those who violated similar orders in the past.
One of those who spoke to Blueprint alleged that some people lost their lives or have their valuables destroyed.
For instance, an unverified facebook post entitled “Face-to-face encounter with the dreaded unknown gunmen”, purportedly from one Barr Fabian Onwughalu, claimed that IPOB would disrupt the gubernatorial poll.
He recounted, “As I was contemplating what to do, the worst happened. As I slowed down to avoid the potholes at Orizu petrol station, their car overtook me in a gestapo style in a James Bond movie and blocked both my car and an oncoming Range Rover sports 2020 model. I then said my last prayers and asked God to have mercy on me and accept my soul in paradise.
“One came to me and barked, ‘Oga Judge, what are you doing to bring Nnamdi KANU out? I told him that I just came back from Abuja last week where I joined his defence team free of charge.
“He told me to continue and that God will bless me. While two of them were interrogating the driver of the Range Rover, the other two were chanting “no Biafra, no election” while the one with me told me to go and tell the politicians to stop wasting the lives of innocent youths who throng their meetings as they are ready to blow up any political meeting venue henceforth,” the post alleged.
Anambra state governor, Willie Obiano, who said he was sad over the development, directed all security agencies to step up and confront “this monster ravaging our land.
“I charge everyone involved in the security architecture of Anambra state to take very seriously, this threat to our livelihood and boldly rise to confront same.”
The governor also announced a N20,000,000.00 reward for any useful information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators of “the heinous attacks on our state.”
Obiano, in a statement issued for Nigeria’s 61 years independence anniversary, however, blamed opposition for the crisis, because according to him, “The approaching election has created a strange desperation among the political class leading to acts that are not only inimical to the regime of peace that my administration has entrenched in our beloved state for eight years but also a threat to democracy.
He further said, “The deliberate attempt to heat up the system and create the impression of chaos in Anambra state is a ploy by desperate political leaders to wet the ground and provide a perfect alibi for electoral malpractices.
“We are aware of this plot; and we shall resist it with all our might! We shall not allow some unconscionable politicians to turn Anambra into a theater of crime and absurdity. The negative identity they are trying to foist on Anambra State shall not prevail. We shall rise together to protect our state, protect our communities and defend our democracy!”
Probably responding to Obiano’s clarion calls, the State Police Commissioner, Mr Tony Olofu, now redeployed reassured Anambra indigenes of the command’s relentless efforts to protecting lives and property.
Olofu, in a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Tochukwu Ikenga, urged politicians to avail them with their campaigns timetable so they could meet up with their targets.
“Agencies are already rejigging strategies to contain the situation and prevent any further threats to lives and property in the State. We will ensure that perpetrators of these dastardly acts will not go unpunished,”
Everestus Obiyo, the State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC) also ordered deployment of personnel and operational assets including NSCDC surveillance and operational teams, counter terrrism unit (CTU), and other Tactical Teams on visibility patrol.
Obiyo, who assured the state protection, said his teams were expected to carryout convert surveillance as well as confidence building patrols within the state in conjunction with other sister security agencies.
On ways forward, an activist, Comrade Dede A. Uzor, asked the INEC to convoke emergency security summit where all the stakeholders including the youths, traders, business executives, professional bodies, religious leaders, traditional leaders, opinions leaders, media, civil servants, politicians, security forces, political parties representatives and Igbo leaders.
“The leaders should apologise to the youths and unanimously call for immediate and unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and those arrested immediately engaged the youth by empowering each youth from the sum of N300,000 each making it mandatory for 500 youths in each Local Government Area of the state.
“The steps if adopted will go a long way of appeasing the battered and humiliated Igbo youths. The summit should unconditionally and unequivocally condemn the atrocious killing of our security forces and begin the process of respecting the rights of ordinary citizens,” Uzor noted.
Also insisting that the election should hold as scheduled, Prince Chris Azor, the Chairman, Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONET) pointed out that it was necessary in order not “to acquiesce to the wishes of detractors who want to intimidate and cow us into surrender.”
“Innovative security Strategies should be deployed to check the current obvious threats to the conduct of the exercise. INEC should work with other stakeholders to put security and safety measures in place for a free, fair, credible and peaceful election come November 6, 2021.
“Again, all political Parties should commit to violence free, hate speech free and fake news free election, by signing Peace Accords. There is also need for intensified Voter Education and inform by all major stakeholders. Furthermore, Governments at State and federal levels should engage citizens and sundry stakeholders in dialogues/peace building and conflict resolution/ management.
“Civil Society and Media should sensitize, set agenda, educate citizens to ensure transparency and accountability and peaceful credible election. Security stakeholders should up their game and coordinate intelligence gathering and rapid response. Ctizens should cooperate with the authorities in Election Risk Management (ERM),” he noted.
Contributing, the State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Barrister Charles Nwoji called on eligible voters in the State to come out enmass on November 6 Governorship Election in the State to exercise their franchise and eschew all forms of violence that could mar the election.
The Director, who was speaking at a One Day Peace Seminar Organized by the Rotary Club of Awka Central, Anambra State and her Sister Rotaract Club in Nnamdi Azikiwe University in collaboration with NOA in Awka, reminded Anambra residents that election should be a political contest and not war, even as he enjoined the INEC and security agencies to work in one accord to ensure a successful poll.
On his part, Mr Chilos Godsent of the Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide, while calling for investigations into the killings in Anambra State, demanded for the immediate redeployment of all the serving Cmmissioners of Police, Directors of DSS, and all heads of Brigade Commanders in South East as first step to mitigate the militancy and escalation of killings in the region.
Also, another none political interest group, Igbo National Movement (INM), in a statement signed by its coordinator, Mr Anthony Olisa Okolo and four others, called governors in Southeast region to take decisive actions to address the impasse else it “will worsen the economy of Igbo nation by crippling its hospitality industry.”
He noted that the consequence would be crippling the local tourism driven by the deep nostalgia that makes Igbos return home often.
“Of course, when hospitality and tourism goes, transportation will follow. Already Igbos in diaspora are thinking twice about weddings in the Southeast gradually, like a vicious cycle, we will breed more poverty in the region, and more crimes will follow.”
