Anambra Bye Election: LP Caucus accuses Soludo of plans to unleash thugs on opposition parties
...urge security chiefs to ensure adequate security for voters
By Chukwudi Ebele
The Anambra State Labour Party Caucus in the National Assembly has expressed grave reservations over alleged moves by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to deploy non-state security personnel and touts in tomorrow's bye elections in the state. The elections are for the Onitsha North 1 State Assembly seat and the Anambra South senatorial zone.
In a statement issued in Awka, the Anambra State capital, the Caucus, which comprises two senators and six House of Representatives members, called on the nation's security chiefs to assist the Nigerian Police in providing a serene atmosphere for the citizenry to vote in the elections without fear of molestation.
"Information at our disposal indicates that Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has concluded plans to deploy men of the state's security outfit, Udogachi, crude revenue enforcers, popular as ndi Aka odo and sundry non-state actors to take over the various voting points for the bye elections.
The plan, the Caucus said, is to use these State Government-controlled agents to scare away prospective voters not aligned to APGA from the polling units.
"In an election where candidates of APGA are major contenders, it would be foolhardy to allow the Governor to take charge of security arrangements, especially as that would confer undue advantage on his party.
"We, therefore, call on the nation's top security architecture, especially the National Security Adviser, NSA, the Chief of Army Staff, the General Officer Commanding(GOC), 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, the Commanding Officer(CO), Field Artillery, Onitsha, the Director-General, Directorate of State Security, DSS and the Anambra State Director of the Service, as well as the Corp Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp(NSCDC), to fully deploy their personnel, so as to restore voter confidence in the election, as well as protect the lives of those involved in the process.
"The whole essence of democratic governance revolves around freedom of choice, made possible by free and fair elections. Tomorrow's Anambra bye-elections, like several in some other states of the federation, is a litmus test on our country's readiness to ensure that the votes of Nigerians not only count, but are peacefully counted in order to arrive at an acceptable outcome.
"In order to achieve this goal, therefore, the process cannot be skewed to favour any particular individual, be him a governor, or not.
For the case of Onitsha NORTH CONSTITUENCY 1,WE ARE SHOCKED TO THE BONE MARROW THE LEVEL OF DESPERATION OF GOV SOLUDO AND APGA LED STATE GOVERNMENT AGAINST A WIDOW WHOSE HUSBAND WAS KIDNAPPED AND KILLED AS THEN SITTING MEMBER REPRESENTING THE CONSTITUENCY.
"We also make haste to point out that, as an off-season election, the attention of all participants, including candidates, political parties, local and foreign observers, and of course, the media, would be focused on the process. As a people, we must therefore strive to ensure that everyone plays by the rules," the statement added.
Signed:
Senator Victor Umeh
Senator Tony Nwoye
Rt. Hon. George Ozodinobi
Hon. Afam Ogene
Hon. Emeka Idu
Hon(Prof) Lilian Orogbu
Hon. Peter Anekwe
Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo
In a swift reaction to the accusations, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor in a press release said: "we see the accusations as laughable and baseless since election security is the primary responsibility of the police and other security agencies, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also playing a crucial role.
"We want to categorically state that the Anambra State Government does not have a role in election security, especially in INEC-organised elections.
The Anambra State Government has confidence in the police and INEC to ensure election security and organise free, fair, and credible elections, thus allowing the will of the electorate to prevail," said Mefor.
