There is a bomb scare in Anambra, South-eastern part of Nigeria as the people head to the polls to elect their governor today.
File Photo
As the people of Anambra State decide who occupies the position of
the state governor today (Saturday), there is palpable fear that the
election could be marred by violence. This is happening amid fears of
bomb blast in Onitsha.
Some residents of the state were seen gathered in different groups
to discuss, in trepidation, what the outcome of the election might be.
It was also observed that security had been beefed up at public
places with units of armed policemen stationed at strategic locations.
Some other Anambra residents, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH,
expressed their readiness to vote while many others pointed out that
they had their reasons to be afraid that the exercise could be marred by
violence.
A resident of the state, Ifeanyi Ogockukwu, from Ihiala Local Government Area and a computer operator, said, “I will remain indoors tomorrow (today) until I notice that everywhere is calm because I do not know what it will look like.
“But I will come out and vote when everywhere is calm. I advise
others to also come out and vote for the candidate of their choice.
They should not sell their votes for anything.”
The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Anambra State Council, in an
emergency congress, also expressed fear that something untoward might
befall the state in the poll.
It’s communiqué, read partly, “That the Council views with
concern the unusually heavy presence of security operatives in the state
in the build-up to the election, noting that such could lead to
unnecessary tension and may jeopardise peaceful conduct of the poll and
possibly dissuade voters from coming out to exercise their franchise.”
The tension in the state was further exacerbated by the
pro-secessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra, which issued what
seemed to be a fresh threat and prediction that the Anambra governorship
election would be bloody.
IPOB had warned the people of the state to stay indoors to avoid
being victims of bomb blast that could occur during the election.
This is just as the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of
Operations, Mr. Joshak Habila, dismissed the threat by IPOB, insisting
that the voters should come out and exercise their franchise without
fear.
A statement by the proscribed group signed by its spokesman, Emma
Powerful, indicated that all might not be well with the exercise.
Powerful said IPOB had uncovered a plot by Nigerian security
agencies to link it to series of bomb blasts that would occur during
Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The spokesman for the pro-Biafra group claimed that the security
agencies, particularly the army, police and the Department of State
Services, had planted explosive devices at strategic places in the
state, waiting to set them off during the election.
Powerful explained that IPOB would be blamed for the explosions,
adding that the alleged plot was meant to justify the Federal
Government’s claim that the group was a terrorist organisation.
The IPOB spokesman said, “We gather(ed) that the Nigerian
military is now planting explosive devices in all strategic places in
Anambra State to justify their evil plan against the people of Biafra.
“The Nigerian Government and her security operatives
especially, the Nigerian army and police, including the DSS, have lost
the bid to label IPOB a terrorist organisation among the civilised
nations. So, they have resorted to crude evidence-planting as they did
with their so-called imported double-barrelled hunting guns at Apapa
Wharf.
“Chief of Army Staff, General Buratai and his military
hierarchy are desperately using every and any available strategy to
justify their actions against IPOB family members in Biafraland
particularly in Anambra State because of our boycott threat.
“We are warning every indigenous person of Biafra to be wary of
tomorrow’s election in Anambra State. Every man, woman and child
should remain indoors because Nigerian security operatives have planted
military-grade explosives at key locations in Anambra State to kill and
maim as many people as possible.
“Stay in your homes with your doors locked because tomorrow
will be very bloody for anyone that ventures outside,” Powerful stressed
while insisting that the IPOB was not a terror organisation.
He added, “IPOB, under the command and leadership of Mazi
Nnamdi Kanu, remains a non-violent and peaceful freedom fighting
organisation, irrespective of the continued attack on us by the Nigerian
Government and her security operatives, especially the army, police and
the DSS.”
But, dismissing IPOB’s statement, Habila said, “There is no
cause to fear. (In) virtually everywhere, space, you will find police
officers and other security agents prepared. I want to assure those who
are getting scared; do not believe that something is pursuing you when
nothing is pursuing you.
“We guarantee your safety and ask that you come out tomorrow
(today) and vote so that you can choose the man you want to be at the
helm of affairs. There is no cause to fear.”
Describing the threat by IPOB as a failed move, the DIG added, “I
am of the opinion that the threat, which was put through, was just a
dummy; it was just a script written and rehearsed. But I think that it
has failed because it has not been played.
“It was never played during the campaign. I do not think that
anybody will go and dust those things and play them anymore. If there is
anyone, then it is unfortunate.
“But I want to assure you that they were just antics; and that is why I say, vote and live, but not vote and die.”
Bomb scare ahead of Anambra governorship poll
There was a bomb scare in Onitsha on Friday ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that two high calibre improvised explosive
devices were discovered near the Onitsha North Local Government Area
Police Station.
However, acorrespondents learnt that the police anti-bomb squad averted the explosion by demobilising the IEDs.
But the development created tension in Onitsha ahead of Saturday’s
(today) election amid palpable fear in different parts of the state that
the election could be marred by violence.
Use of policemen as guards by VIPs banned
Further assuring the people of the state of security, Habila warned
that the police would not permit the use of security personnel as
guards by very important personalities at polling units during the
governorship election.
Habila told Saturday PUNCH at the Independent National Electoral
Commission’s office in Awka that the restriction of movement would be
binding on all persons except groups and individuals accredited to
monitor voting.
“Tell all VIPs that they cannot be accompanied by uniform
personnel because that also will intimidate others. People are expected
to walk a short distance, cast their votes and go back home.
“No VIP, no government official, no individual should put onto
themselves the responsibility of monitoring, except the press and
accredited observers. International and national observers will be given
an opportunity,” he noted.
Speaking on the security arrangement for the exercise, he explained
that with the massive deployment of additional 21,000 police personnel
to join the existing 6,000 operatives in the state, five policemen were
expected to man each polling unit.
He further disclosed that while 300 Hilux vehicles had been
positioned in areas prone to violence, 15 gunboats would be used to
cover the riverine areas.
The DIG also said that three helicopters would hover around the
three senatorial districts of the state to provide aerial view during
the election.
We’ll not dictate to INEC – Police
Ahead of today’s governorship election in Anambra State, the police
also said that contrary to speculations in some quarters, they had no
intention to dictate to the Independent National Electoral Commission on
the conduct of the poll.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations
stated that the police would only be involved in the area of ensuring
the security of lives and property.
“We are not dictating to INEC. The police are only interested
in security. Why would the police tell INEC what to do? So, you think I
would go and tell INEC what they should do about the election; has it
ever happened?
“Do you believe that one? Do you know who these people (INEC
heads) are? Some of them are professors and technocrats. Then you would
dictate to them; it is not possible. Is it with a gun?
“Ours is to ensure security and not to dictate to INEC. This is
one of the dummies they (politicians) want to sell. That is a very
cheap propaganda intending to discourage people from exercising their
franchise and defending their votes. Like I said earlier, it can never
happen and it is not possible,” Habila stressed.
We’re not compromised, says INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission has denied the
speculation that some of its personnel have been compromised by
politicians to interfere with the credibility of the governorship
election in Anambra State.
There had been speculation that the commission deployed additional
ad hoc workers to certain locations in order to give an advantage to a
particular political party.
But the state Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Leo Nkedife, said, “INEC
is not in any way compromised. The issue is that we do not have enough
corps members in Anambra State. So, that necessitated us to go to
neighbouring states to source for corps members to complement.
“At the stakeholders’ forum, that issue was raised. They said
that corps members from outside should not go to a particular local
government area and we have effected that. So, INEC is not in any way
compromised. It is totally false.”
He, however, stated that the commission had not received any complaint from its workers bothering on security threats.
According to him, INEC has provided enough incentives for the
welfare of the ad hoc personnel, including transport allowances during
their training, feeding allowances and the main honorarium.
“We have even made provisions for their feeding at the RAC
(Registration Area Centres). So, I think their welfare is well taken
care of and we have warned them not to compromise their positions,” Nkedife added.
PDP demands free poll in Anambra
The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has demanded a free and fair governorship election on Saturday.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, in a
statement in Abuja on Friday, said, “The PDP is prepared and ready for
the Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, and we are
charging the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission
and security agencies deployed in the election to be neutral in the
conduct of the election.
“The Anambra State governorship election is a litmus test for
INEC and another opportunity for the Ruling All Progressives Congress to
redeem itself from the culture of impunity, inconclusive elections and
rigging as exhibited in previous elections in Edo, Ondo and other
by-elections in the country.”
Adeyeye also condemned the recent withdrawal of the personal
security of the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, by the
Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
“Notwithstanding that President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the
reinstatement of governor’s security aides, this recent action by the
Police is a clear signal that the Force is working to favour some
individuals in the state or destabilise the governorship election in
Anambra State.”
Adeyeye warned that the PDP would not accept any manipulation of the result of the election in the state.
“The INEC and all security agencies deployed for the election
must remain neutral and unbiased before, during and after the election,” he added.
He called on the people of Anambra State to protect their Permanent Voter’s Card and come out en masse to vote.
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