Between Bloodshed in Anambra and Voter Apathy

Udora Orizu writes that the senseless killings, destruction of public and private property by criminal elements in Anambra State has raised fears which may hamper the gubernatorial election slated for November 6

With less that one month to the governorship election in Anambra State, the security situation in the state is going from bad to worse. Many months ago, the drama which trailed the forthcoming election was mainly about internal crises rocking the major political parties in the state as to who will emerge their flagbearer.

In recent times, however, the relatively once peaceful state has constantly been in the news for the wrong reasons, bordering on kidnapping, wanton killings, destruction of private and public properties by ‘unknown gunmen’, and shutting down of economic activities with the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The insecurity worsened a few weeks ago with a declaration by a separatist group, that the November 6 governorship poll in the state would not hold.

Party flagbearers have suspended their campaigns for fear of being attacked. Valentine Ozigbo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has since announced the suspension of his campaign, and so has Senator Andy Uba, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the election. These crises have also made indigenes of the state to live in constant fear of their lives, leading to insinuations that the voters apathy may hamper the election, as eligible voters who fear for their lives, may lack interest to come out and vote on election day. Aside the weekly sit-at-home order and destruction of INEC facilities and election materials despite heavy security presence, happenings in Anambra State most recently have posed a major threat to the forthcoming November 6 election.

The Litigation Battles

At the beginning of the Anambra State gubernatorial campaigns, all 18 major political parties conducted their primaries and candidates emerged. But aggrieved aspirants rejected the outcome in all instances. There was a lot of hue and cries, leading to defection, creation of factions within each party and various litigations. These unsatisfied guber hopefuls headed to court and to secure injunctions and counter injunctions.

This resulted in so many counter verdicts by judicial officers. Concerned by this state of affairs, Mr Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Public Enlightenment, lamented that the indiscriminate orders and judgements from diverse courts have “far-reaching implications on the conduct of the Anambra State governorship election.”

As the election draws nearer and with INEC releasing it’s final list of candidates, the months of in-fighting, negotiations, litigations, court judgements, and counter-judgements, seems to have been finally come to an end.

Gruesome Killings, Denials and Blame Game

The senseless killings currently being carried out in Anambra State has raised concern across the country, with various assertions on the cause and the likely perpetrators

On September 28, Mr Chike Akunyili, husband of the late DG of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Dora Akunyili, was brutally murdered by unknown gunmen in Anambra. He was shot dead while returning from an event to honour his late wife.

On Sunday, October 3, gunmen set ablaze the residence of Joe Igbokwe, Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Drainage and Water Resources, and that of a former Minister of Finance, Sonny Chu Okongwu, in Nnewi. There was heavy gunfire during the attack, and unfortunately, two lives were lost. Also a police station in Orumba North was attacked and people were killed. On September 30th, a serving member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chris Azugbogu’s vehicle was attacked along Nnewi Nnobi Road leading to death of one of his drivers. The offices of Department of State Security were also burnt down on October 3 and people were killed.

These killings have been linked to the South-East separatist group, known as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Following the detention of their Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB members called for weekly sit-at-home protests each Monday across the South-east including Anambra, freezing business activities in cities, towns, and even village markets. Despite, the state Governor, Willie Obiano lifting the order and directing residents to go about their daily life, however they obeyed the sit-at-home order even to the detriment of their businesses, education, and other economic activities.

While some are of the view that criminal elements have infiltrated the group, promoting violence, killing itheir own people and destroying properties. Following these attacks, blames have been traded on the cause and who the perpetrators are.

While some government officials and security agencies have blamed it on the separatist group, the group on its part has denied any involvement, and in turn accused mainstream politicians of causing the mayhem. Also, there’s believe in some quarters that the disorder in Anambra and the entire South-east region can be linked to the race for the 2023 Presidency.

Federal Lawmakers Raise Alarm

As the situation in Anambra gets worse, members of the House of Representatives at the plenary on October 5, urged the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and other security agencies to deploy all necessary machinery to Anambra State towards containing the increasing spate of killings in the state.

The House also mandated its committees on National security and intelligence and police affairs to ensure that normalcy is restored within the state and report within three weeks for further legislative action.

The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance, sponsored by Hon. Chris Emeka Azugbogu (APC, Anambra).

Moving the motion, Azugbogu expressed grave concerns over the security breaches that are taking place within Anambra State.

The lawmaker while noting that Anambra use to be a very peaceful state, said the state has been turned into, a center of attacks by unknown gunmen.

According to him, the killings are orchestrated by mischief makers who are bent on causing tension and panic in the state ahead of the upcoming November 6 election in Anambra State.

Making reference to a recent attack on his entourage which led to the death of one of his drivers, the lawmaker said no single day passes without a reported case of robbery, abduction and outright killings in the state, adding that the perpetrators have no human conscience in them.

Azugbogu warned that unless drastic measure is taken to halt and combat those elements terrorizing the state, the events in anambra will turn into a major crisis in the entire south east and the nation.

Contributing, the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila said that the House was aware of the attack on Azubogu’s vehicle and that the situation in anambra is very critical.

Adopting the motion, the lawmakers observed a minute of silence for the late driver and other people who were killed during the deadly attacks.

No Going Back on Election

Same day, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) vowed that despite the deteriorating security situation in the State, the November 6 election will proceed as scheduled.

INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who stated this at the emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), said that available intelligence revealed that the intention of those attacking its offices and other public institutions in the State is to ensure that the governorship election does not hold.

While noting that the importance of election security in a governorship election has never been this urgent, he however warned that should INEC again lose vital materials and facilities, the ongoing preparations for the election will be adversely affected.

Malami Suggests Emergency Rule

The next day, the Federal Government, hinted at the possibility of declaring a state of emergency in Anambra State to protect the electoral process and constitutional order if the November 6 governorship election if the state became heavily threatened.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who was very specific on the issue, gave the hint while speaking to newsmen at the State House, Abuja, after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Malami said the Federal Government would not fail to take precautions to ensure that the democratic order was kept safe, saying no possibility is ruled out, including the declaration of a state of emergency.

The Minister stated, “When our national security is attacked and the sanctity of our constitutionally guaranteed democracy is threatened, no possibility is ruled out. As a government, we have a responsibility to ensure the sustenance of our democratic order. We have a responsibility to provide security to life and property. So, within the context of these constitutional obligations of the government or the desire to maintain democratic norms and order, there is no possibility that is ruled out. The government will certainly do the needful in terms of ensuring that our elections are held in Anambra in terms of ensuring necessary security is provided, and in terms of ensuring protection is accorded to life and property.

“So, what I’m saying in essence, no possibility is ruled out by government in terms of ensuring the sanctity of our democratic order, in terms of ensuring that our elections in Anambra holds, and you cannot out rule possibilities, inclusive of the possibility of declaration of state of emergency, where it is established, in essence, that there is a failure on the part of the state government to ensure the sanctity of security of life, property, and democratic order. So, our position as a government is, these elections are going to provide necessary security in terms of preserving democratic order. Order must certainly prevail for the purpose of this election. We resolve to have these elections, the elections are going to hold and no possibilities are ruled out in terms of ensuring the provision of security, for the purpose of safe conduct of the election, as far as Anambra is concerned.”

Opposition Knock Malami

Reacting, the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Southern and Middle-Belt Alliance (SaMBA) immediately rejected Malami’s idea of emergency rule in Anambra State, saying it is completely unwarranted.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the ruling party in Anambra State, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Tex Okechukwu, described such move as uncalled for since Anambra State, saying Anambra has for over seven years ranked as the most peaceful state in Nigeria.

The statement questioned the rationale behind the idea of emergency rule in the state, less than one month to a governorship election, by the same federal government that had not suspended normal constitutional procedures in states with worse security challenges, like Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Niger, and Nasarawa.

APGA also called on all well-meaning people in Anambra State to rise up and condemn the plan, as it would truncate all the achievements of the state government.

On its part, the main opposition party, PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the move to impose emergency rule in Anambra State was a ploy by the APC-led Federal Government to suppress the people, manipulate the electoral process, and rig the outcome of the governorship election for its candidate.

PDP insisted that the Federal Government had the capacity to ensure peace in Anambra before, during and even after the election, if it so desired.

Also, the Spokesperson of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, during an appearance on ARISE was of the view that the emergency rule is not needed, as it will hamper the credibility of the election.

In the same vein, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, described the statement by Malami indicating a possible resort to a state of emergency in Anambra State as a self-indictment.

Also, Anambra House of Assembly lawmakers while adopting a motion at their plenary rejected and condemned the statement credited to Malami.

They therefore calld on the Attorney General to tender an unreserved apology to Anambra State immediately over his unwarranted suggestion of a State of Emergency.

Buhari Distances Self from Malami’s Suggestion

President Muhammadu Buhari has however distanced himself from Malami’s suggestion. Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, made this known after a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Governor said he reported Malami to the President and the President said he does not want any kind of intimidation ahead of the poll. He stated that Buhari opposed the idea of emergency rule.

Will the Worsening Insecurity and IPOB Factor Lead to Voter Apathy?

The deteriorating security situation in Anambra and IPOB’s growing popularity in the region is sending a strong message that voter turnout in the election will be low. Should the group call for a boycott of the elections again, and try to enforce it through violent means, this would pit it against the security agencies, and may lead to a violent brawl.

As INEC is insisting that the election won’t be shifted, to give time for fixing these insecurity challenges, the winner of the election will likely be a candidate who is not the choice of majority of the masses.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) vowed that despite the deteriorating security situation in the State, the November 6 election will proceed as scheduled.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who stated this at the emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), said that available intelligence revealed that the intention of those attacking its offices and other public institutions in the State is to ensure that the governorship election does not hold

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