By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Apparently unimpressed with the recent Emergence Rule comments by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the Governor of Anambra state, Willie Obiano on Thursday, berated the nation’s Chief Law Officer for contemplating such hardline position ahead of the November 6 Governorship Election in the state.
This is even as Obiano who briefed State House Correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, disclosed that Mr. President is not in support of the idea of imposing Emergency Rule as proposed by Malami.
Prompt News recalls that the AGF on Wednesday told journalists after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja that: “no possibility will be ruled out inclusive of a Declaration of a State of Emergency in the determination to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
He also said: “When our national security is attacked, and the sanctity of our constitutionally guaranteed democracy is threatened, no possibility is ruled out.
“As a government, we have a responsibility to ensure the sustenance of our democratic order. As a government, we have a responsibility to provide security to life and properties.”
But Obiano who visited President Buhari on Thursday apparently to give him first hand information on the security challenges in Anambra state told reporters that he has been assured that President Buhari is only interested in a free and fair election in the forthcoming Governorship Election in his state, citing the example of his (President’s) three previous attempts to win an election until his fourth endeavour.
Obiano however, described Malami’s statement as unfortunate and wondered why he had not contemplated the imposition of Emergency Rule in some states in the Northern part of Nigeria where, he said, “there have been sustained killings left, right and center”.
The visibly angry Anambra Governor vowed to call the AGF to express his dismay over the suggestion, maintaining that apart from the recent security crisis, Anambra state had been the most peaceful state in the South East.
Obiano also outrightly rejected assertions that members of the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the State House of Assembly had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that; “what happened was that some of the Assembly Members were given N100 million each to join the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC)”.
He said the members were still stakeholders in the state’s ruling party, APGA.
Commenting on the lawmakers who defected to APC, Obiano said: “Any time, any day, there’s no other party in Anambra, only APGA is there’s, no APC. It’s not true, And by the way, It’s not 20 members of the House of Assembly who defected. But let me tell you, it’s a ploy. Those people that went to APC now, they went to collect money because they saw the additional money, N100 million each, they are still APGA, they are giving us information on what is happening in APC”.
The Governor boasted that APGA’s flagbearer Professor Charles Chukwudi Soludo will be the next Governor of Anambra state.
Said he: “Anambra is doing well and don’t forget that Malami is on the National Campaign Committee for the APC candidate. So, if that’s their strategy, then they failed already. Come to the ballot box, APGA will win and win hands down. They are trying to see how they can destabilise us. No, APC has no room in Anambra, there’s no party called APC in Anambra. Anambra is APGA”.
