By Newsie Events Media:
Following the threat by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), that the Federal Government might declare a State of Emergency in Anambra to ensure that the November 6 governorship election in the state holds, the Anambra state government through its Commissioner of Information, Don Adinuba has described FG’s position as outrageous
The Commissioner ppsited that Anambra State has not in any way experienced the level of killings recorded in Kaduna, Borno, Zamfara and the other Northern states where rampaging bandits have murdered hundreds of innocent citizens in the last few months.
Adinuba noted that despite the high killings in the North-West and North-East geopolitical zones, elections were held in states.
The commissioner, who spoke on Channels TV ‘Politics Today’ programme monirored by the Punch said there was nithing in the renewed violence in Anambra in the last weeks that could warrant the decraration of state of emergency in the South Eastern state.
It will be recalled that last week, suspected hoodlums had killed Dr Chike Akunyili, the widower of the late former minister of Information and director-general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Dora Akunyili.
Dr Akunyili was reportedly shot dead on September 28 alongside seven others at Nkpor in the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. Some areas of the state including Nnewi have also recorded a pocket of violence in the state as the November 6 governorship poll approaches and as the state governor, Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance enters his last weeks in office after eight years.
As a result of this and many other killings in the state, Malami, after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, said, “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 hold.
“And you cannot rule out 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 lives, properties and democratic order,” he said.
However, Adinuba, reacting, said Malami’s statement was politically motivated, citing APC states , Imo and Ebonyi where there have been a high level of violence in the last few months yet, nothing like emergency rule was considered by the Federal Government.
He said, “Nigerians are outraged by the threat by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
“Since the renewed violence in Anambra State which we believe is politically motivated, not more than 15 persons have been killed. How many persons have died in Borno, Niger, Kaduna, Yobe, Zamfara, even Imo, which is APC-controlled, Ebonyi, which is APC-controlled?
“Has anybody threatened emergency rule in any of these states?
“For the past seven years, Anambra has remained the safest state, most stable in Nigeria.
“We remain the only state in the whole country that for the past seven years, has not experienced one single bank robbery; what is going on is politically motivated and the declaration by the honourable Attorney-General of the Federation is a confirmation.”
Also, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Paul Ananaba, who spoke on the television programme on Wednesday night, said the insecurity experienced in Anambra has not degenerated into the declaration of an emergency rule.
Interpreting an emergency rule and its effects, Ananaba said, “What the State of Emergency does is to put aside the governor, the state assembly and all the institutions. It is an extraordinary measure. Anambra has not reached that point
“Section 305 has made it clear that at the actual break down of law and order, there is no actual breakdown of law and order in Anambra State – schools are in session, banks are working, markets and all. There is violence but it has not gotten to the declaration of a State of Emergency.”
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