FG Not Contemplating Emergency Rule in Anambra, Says Obiano after Meeting President

*Lambasts Malami for ignoring security crisis in north

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has foreclosed a possible declaration of a state of emergency in Anambra State ahead of the November 6, 2021 governorship election in the state, Governor Willie Obiano has said.
Obiana, who spoke with newsmen Thursday after a closed door meeting with the president at the State House, Abuja, declared that the reported threat of a possible state of emergency in his state was not President Muhammadu Buhari’s idea.

He, however, hinted that he had since reported the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to the President over the matter.
Describing the threat as unfortunate, the governor said he wondered why Malami had not mooted the idea of emergency rule in some Northern states, where he observed there had been a lot of killings.

“Well, that’s a very unfortunate comment by the Attorney-General Malami. Very, very unfortunate. I also reported that to the President and this is not in the books for the President because he knows that Anambra has been the safest state in Nigeria for seven years plus. These invaders from outside Anambra State, from the neighbouring towns, we are going to deal with them. We’re already working, there’s nothing really.

“Even to contemplate state of emergency is unfortunate. Look at what is happening in the North; they kill dozens every day, because less than 15 people were killed in Anambra in two weeks, is that a reason for somebody to call for a state of emergency? That’s a very unfortunate comment by Malami. I will call him to express reservation on those kinds of comments. He shouldn’t try that.

“Anambra is doing well and don’t forget that Malami is on the National Campaign Committee for the APC candidate. So, if that’s their strategy, then, they failed already. Come to the ballot box, APGA will win and win hands down. They are trying to see how they can destabilise us. No, APC has no room in Anambra; there’s no party called APC in Anambra. Anambra is APGA

“I just finished meeting with the President and I mentioned it and the President didn’t suggest that. The President is firm. He wants a peaceful election in Anambra State. He wants a free and fair election in Anambra State, that’s the President for you. But if people in his party are going around making insinuations, using his name to do things, the President clearly told me that he does not support that.”
He, therefore, wondered why the Attorney-General would make such a comment about his state, which he noted has been the safest in the country, and has not made a similar call for Northern states, where the security situation had for long been fierce and dangerous.

“We don’t have any challenge in Anambra. What happened for the period of two weeks is just a flash in the pan. Anambra has always been the safest state in Nigeria under my leadership for seven and a half years, so this little hiccup will not warrant his comment there.

“Why didn’t he make those comments in Kaduna, in Jos, Imo State, in Zamfara? Why is he making that kind of assertion and we have an election by the corner? There’s no reason to make that assertion.
“When you have malaria and when you have cancer, they are two different treatments. What we have in Anambra is malaria, so you don’t have to use a sledge hammer to kill that. We are not near, in terms of confusion and security challenges, compared to Zamfara and co, so they are not good examples.
“The Army, police Navy, other arms-bearing people should consider the quantum of force to use. As a strategist, you don’t sit down here and order the Army to carry the whole army in Nigeria to go to Anambra.

“In summary, what I’m saying is, what is happening in Anambra and this election that must hold, the crisis and challenges are far from being close to challenges in the North West and in the North East, as the case may be. They are not going to use an overwhelming force, that’s what we’re saying, overwhelming force. But use the force required to be able to get the job done.
“The guarantee we are given for this election is that this election will hold, we’ll have enough security to back the people and APGA; Professor Chukwuma Soludo, will be the next governor of Anambra State,” he said.

Obiano promised to call the Malami to express his mind to him over the suggestion, maintaining that apart from the recent security crisis, Anambra State had been the most peaceful in the Southeast.

“We are doing well already. Part of the reasons why I came here is to brief some security agencies on effort I’ve made and to solicit some support in some other areas; the army, the Navy, the police in particular. The President also noted that and will give further directives.

“We are getting more boots on ground, we’re getting more equipment and I believe in less than two weeks all these things will be over. We’ll overwhelm and conquer all these miscreants that came from other states nearby to come and harass Anambra people. Let me stop at saying they are from neighbouring states.

“I’m not ready to make an assertion on what I do not know about, I’m talking about Anambra and I told you that incidents of the last few weeks are miscreants that came from neighbouring states bordering Anambra and we know them and we’re going to flush them out. By the way, you are aware that I have put a bounty of N20 million for anybody that will give us information that will lead to the arrest of these miscreants.

“I believe that N20 million is good enough for people to give us information and as soon as we get that information, we are going to deal ruthlessly with whoever those people are. What I can tell you is that I’m emboldened by meeting with the President today to confirm to you that Mr. President is a fair man; he believes in free and fair election and he doesn’t want intimidation. He used that word to me. He said he does not want anybody to intimidate anybody, that he respects everybody.

“He gave me example that he ran for presidency three times, that it was only on the fourth time he won. So, why should people be forced to do what they don’t want to do? So, what these members of his party are doing, the President does not support that. I can tell you that,” he explained.

The governor also denied claims that members of the ruling APGA in the State House of Assembly had defected to the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), explaining that what seemed like a defection was actually an espionage ploy by his party, to draw information from within the opposition.

He said the 20 members of the State House of Assembly rumoured to have defected from APGA to the APC were still members of the ruling party, but only played along with the defection story in order to collect the N100 million monetary lure promised each defector.

On why the state legislators were defecting to the APC, he said “anytime, anyday, there’s no other party in Anambra, only APGA. There’s no APC. It’s not true, It’s not 20 members of the House of Assembly.

“But let me tell you, it’s a ploy. Those people that went to APC now, they went to collect money, because they saw the additional money, N100 million each, they are still APGA, they are giving us information on what is happening in APC”, he said.

Further shedding light on the purpose of his visit to Buhari, Obiano said, “I came here to brief the President on a few things. First, I thanked Mr. President for completing one segment of Umunyia to Awka Road and I pleaded with him to also commence work on the other segment so that the road will be fully done.

“I also thanked him for making Anambra an oil producing state with 15 wells, commended him for the support he’s given to my administration all these years, you know, by March 17, it will be all over and I will finish my second term. I also commended Mr. President, for his forthrightness and the continual support with respect to things on election.

“After briefing the President on the state of political activities in Anambra, he reassured one more time that, election will hold in Anambra State and that the election will be free and fair. The President has always made that point and to testify to that, he told me the same during my re-election and APGA won, 21 over 21.”