State of emergency in Anambra: PDP, Ohanaeze slam AGF Malami kick against threat
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide have reacted sharply to hints by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, that the federal government might declare a state of emergency in Anambra State on account of the recent seemingly politically-motivated killings in the State.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Abubakar Malami, had in a chat with newsmen earlier today at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja hinted that the federal government might invoke a state of emergency in Anambra to ensure the sanctity of the November 6 governorship election in the State.
He was also quoted as saying that nothing was ruled out in the determination to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
But, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP declared that any hint of a state of emergency in Anambra State was part of an alleged larger plot by the APC federal administration to manipulate the November 6 governorship poll in the State.
The PDP challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the federal government to come clean on their alleged roles in the security challenges in Anambra ahead of the governorship poll.
“This demand is predicated on apprehensions in the public space that the spate of insecurity in Anambra is contrived to heighten tension in the state so as to derail the democratic process to the advantage of the APC,” PDP said.
“The PDP insists that the Federal Government has the capacity to ensure peace in Anambra before, during and even after the election, if it so desired. We, therefore, invite the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC Federal Government to be guided accordingly.
“Our party also charges the people of Anambra State to remain calm and alert as well as take steps within the ambits of the law to resist plots by the APC to derail the electoral process in its inordinate ambition to seize Anambra through the back door. ”
Reacting to the state of emergency threat, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo warned the federal government against any contemplation of state of emergency in Anambra State or, for that matter, any other state in Igboland.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze said Igbo leaders were proactive and had already met and taken decision on how to end the killings in Anambra and other parts of Igboland and asked the government not to bother itself.
Ogbonnia noted that the deaths recorded in Anambra were nothing to compare to the records of states like Borno, Yobe, Niger, Plateau or even Benue States and wondered why the FG was contemplating bringing the hammer in Igboland.
He said: “We the leaders of thought in Igboland are very proactive in the sense that we held a meeting yesterday and resolved the steps to take to bring back normalcy in Anambra State. I want to believe that we will be on top of the situation.
“We also want to let the federal government know that there is no need for state of emergency in Anambra that will be a major setback in the whole of Igboland. Anambra is the hub of Igboland in terms of commerce and many other things.
“So, to contemplate state of emergency in Igboland is worrisome because when you compare Anambra to what happened in Borno state, Yobe, what happened in Anambra is not half of what is happening in Yobe, even Benue or Plateau. The number of deaths in Benue or Plateau is so high compared to what happened in Anambra.
“In Anambra, they are counting the death in their finger tips but in Yobe, Borno you count in hundreds and thousands yet no state of emergency in them; even Plateau, Benue. The number of deaths there is high over what you have in Anambra.
“The Igbo in general, we will resist and reject contemplation of state of emergency in any part of Igboland,” Ogbonnia added.
