By Chukwudi Nweje
Federal Social Democrats Movement (FSD) has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure free, fair, and credible governorship election in Anambra notwithstanding the challenges in the state.
“We demand that INEC must organise a free, fair, and credible election in Anambra State notwithstanding the present challenges. Of major concern to us at FSD, is the current state of fear, violence and criminality going on in Anambra State. How will a credible election take place in a situation where killings, arson, disorder and grave insecurity of lives and property is pervading? The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a threat of a total lockdown of the South-East zone from November 5 to 10, unless their leader is ‘unconditionally released.”
FSD Interim Publicity Secretary, Gbayode Somuyiwa, in a statement, urged IPOB to rethink its lockdown threat so that the election can hold.
“Lockdown is counter-productive, and it is not in the interest of the people. Instigating violence to stop the election will hurt the ordinary people more and those engaged in this act should be wary of playing into the hands of anti-democratic forces who have hinted at imposing emergency rule in the state.”
The group said the Anambra election offers an opportunity for INEC to raise the electoral bar of the country by testing some of its new innovations.
“The Anambra election provides an opportunity for INEC to introduce a few reforms aimed at improving on its past performances. One of the innovations introduced by INEC is the electronic transmission of election results which generated heated debate in the polity, especially after the Senate attempted to tamper with a provision of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. We salute the resilience of civil society organisations for ensuring the Senate reversed itself.”
It said the election is not an end but a means to an end and called on the people of Anambra State to ensure they vote on November 6 to give the state the governor that they deserve.
“We call on the people of Anambra to turn out in large numbers to cast their vote to choose the preferred candidate who will be their governor. The election is not an end but a means to an end. Whoever wins should be magnanimous in victory and losers too must be gallant. It is time for all well-meaning persons from the state to come together and ensure the election holds. We, at FSD, say Anambra State governorship election must hold.”
The group also condemned the Federal Government on the double standard it employs in dealing with ‘separatists’ agitations in both the South East and South West regions as against the manner in which it treats terrorists in the North West and North Central regions.
“The refusal to declare the so-called bandits as terrorists is unconscionable, even after the international terror watch has declared them as the 4th most deadly terrorist group globally. If IPOB can be declared a terrorist organisation, bandits who can blow up a rail track and attack military formations apart from other heinous crimes committed by them should be declared terrorists immediately,” it said.