THE need to secure the impending off-cycle governorship election in Anambra State is a national imperative. The government of this country, along with the government and good people of Anambra State, should join hands to ensure a successful election and enduring peace.
On Tuesday last week, the country was rudely shocked by the gruesome murder of Dr. Chike Akunyili and seven others, including his driver and police orderly at Nkpor Junction near Onitsha.
Over the past weekend, the killings continued and the Nnewi office of the Directorate of State Services, DSS, and the Federal Roads Safety Agency, FRSC, were razed.
The so-called Unknown Gunmen have continued to terrorise the political class with gun attacks, and many innocent bystanders have also been killed. The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has been frequently named in connection with the burgeoning violence, particularly due to its avowed mission to ensure that the November 6, 2021 Anambra election does not hold.
Its perpetual and economically-debilitating “sit-at-home” directives which are enforced with violence is an enduring part of the suffering in that part of the country. It has affected the economic, educational and political rights of the people. This is unacceptable.
Also, faceless fifth columnists and agents of “outside interests” have been blamed for some of the killings and arson. It is unfortunate that this situation has been allowed to grow to the extent that the South East, which is normally one of the most peaceful zones in the country, has now become a place to be avoided due to insecurity.
Coming at the beginning of the Christmas commercial season which is so important to the people of the zone, we will support any professionally-conducted security measure to allow the people to go about their normal means of livelihood and vote in the elections.
We hope that the new security exercises by the Nigerian Army, which will cover the three zones of the South and parts of the North Central, will be handled in a manner as to earn the full support of law-abiding citizens. The people must be made to feel that the armed forces are here to protect them rather than worsen their situation.
We call on all agitators to remain committed to the peaceful pursuit of their legitimate aspirations. A resort to arms will only bring needless deaths and destruction, especially to innocent and law-abiding citizens. IPOB should drop its threat to disrupt the Anambra elections.
It will make it easy for enemies of the people to take over the reins of power, perhaps for the next eight years. It is against the people’s interest to violently stop them from freely choosing their leaders.
Any group that tampers with the educational, economic and political rights of the people cannot be their “messiah”.
