The Commissioner of Information in Anambra State, Don Adinuba, has described as outrageous, 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 takes place.
According to the commissioner, Anambra has not 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 the states.
The commissioner said there was nothing in the renewed violence in Anambra in the last few weeks that warrant the declaration of an emergency rule in the South-Eastern state.
Adinuba spoke on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ current affairs programme monitored by The PUNCH.
Suspected hoodlums, last week, 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 as the November 6 governorship poll approaches and as the state governor, Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, enters his last months in office after eight years.
Consequently, 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.
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However, reacting, the Commissioner of Information in Anambra said Malami’s statement was politically motivated.
He said there have been a high level of violence in All Progressives Congress states –Imo and Ebonyi – in the zone in the last few months yet emergency rule was not considered by the Federal Government.
Adinuba carpeted Malami, saying, “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, (and) 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.”
– Punch