The Anambra state gubernatorial election conducted on November 6, has come and gone with Professor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The election came at a time the South-east states have become no go areas because of the violent activities of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
The outlawed group had threatened fire and brimstone if INEC dares to conduct election in Anambra state. With its sit at home directives which paralysed social and economic activities of the state such as:schools, market and banking, many Nigerians expressed reservation whether the group will allow Anambra people to exercise their civic responsibility as guaranteed by the constitution or not.
There were also fears being expressed that IPOB would unleash violence on the electorate and stop the election from holding. At last, despite the fact that pockets of violence were recorded, the election went on smoothly and the winner was declared. Although, hitches were experienced during voting leading to cancellation of results in some polling units, INEC deserves a pat on the back for conducting a credible poll in the state.
Government’s deployment of massive security to forestall attempts to scare voters and distrupt election coupled with IPOB’s threat had created wide voter apathy. Many prospective voters who were supposed to be in the polling units casting their votes for candidates of their choice remained indoors or refused to come out for fear of the unknown.
Whatever might have contributed to the voter apathy in Anambra’s just concluded poll, the success recorded by the electoral umpire should not be overlooked. The Anambra election points out that the coast is clear for the 2023 general elections in the troubled South-east.
The Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex social cultural organisation of the Igbo, should prevail on their youths to shun violence and embrace peace. Nothing can be achieved through violence. While it is legitimate for IPOB to agitate or frown on government’s policy of exclusiveness, which they claimed to be their driven motive, it is wrong for IPOB to resort to violence for something that can be resolved democratically and peacefully. Can Soludo’s victory bring an end to the orgy of violence in Anambra and the other South-east states being perpetrated by IPOB? The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is not unaware of the destructive ideology of IPOB and the unprecedented havoc it has been unleashing on the law abiding indigines of his state.
Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo should quickly work in cahoot or concert with his colleagues, traditional rulers and other stakeholders towards persuasion, di-escalation of tensions, restoration of normalcy and lasting peace in Anambra state. South-east, which is a home for entrepreneurs, has been badly affected by the activities of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), which is believed to be the armed wing of IPOB.
Their frequent untamed attacks have led to the death of prominent people of the zone, chased investors away and above all shutdown their economic activities. Let the South-east governors use Soludo’s victory to foster unity and put IPOB’s threat to the corporate coexistence of the country at bay.
Ibrahim Mustapha,Pambegua, Kaduna state08169056963.
