Anambra State traditional rulers have berated the Attorney General of the federation, Abubakar Malami for meddling into the affairs of the state saying that the threat was uncalled for.
In a statement after their meeting, the monarchs said Anambra State remains one of the most peaceful states in the country.
Malami had on Wednesday said the Federal Government might impose a state of emergency in Anambra State to have the desired peace to conduct the November 6 poll in the state.
But the monarchs led by the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, in a communique after a meeting of traditional rulers in Anambra State condemned Malami’s opinion, describing it as uncalled for and could be born from a position of ignorance on the true state of things.
“If, indeed the statement credited to the Honourable Attorney General and Minister of Justice is a fair summary of the FEC discussions and decision on Anambra State, it is our considered opinion that the FEC was not properly briefed on the state of affairs in the state. True, there have been considerable security challenges in Anambra State in the last two weeks.
“Yet, it cannot by any stretch of the imagination be justified to contemplate emergency rule in the state on the strength of the 12 violent deaths in the last two or three weeks. States like Zamfara, Kaduna, Yobe, Plateau, Niger, Benue, Katsina and Adamawa have lost thousands of people in recent times, yet successful elections have been held in them. The security crises in Niger and Borno have been such that mission aircraft were shut down there. Whole communities are occupied by bandits and terrorists.
“In contrast, life is normal in Anambra State. All schools, markets and business are open. A lot of petrol stations operate for 24 hours. People engage in regular social activities like marriages, funerals and title taking. Thousands of vehicles move from places like Onitsha to all parts of the country and beyond day and night without incidents. Political parties are still campaigning for the impending gubernatorial election, mobilizing thousands of people to rallies.”
The traditional rulers advised the Federal Government to “improve the security situation in Anambra State, which for the last seven years has been the best throughout the country, is to deploy more security forces to the state, provide them with necessary equipment and incentivize them by paying the security personnel their allowances promptly and improving their general welfare. What is more, the Federal Government has to provide the security, the resources to engage in intelligence gathering.
“The Honorable Attorney general and Minister of Justice have to perish the thought of a state of emergency in Anambra State. The November 6 gubernatorial election has to hold.”
