Anambra election: Deployment of 35,000 security agents an overkill, says Ezeife

Former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, yesterday described as an overkill the efforts of the Inspector General of Police (IG) to deploy 35,000 security agents to monitor the state gubernatorial election scheduled for November 6, 2021, as well as secure the lives of the electorate.

Ezeife, who was a guest on The Morning Show of ARISE NEWS Channel, broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspaper,expressed concern that the security agents are carrying out duties contrary to what they were asked to do, lamenting that they are not honest in their dealings, and that conscience is dead in Nigeria.

According to him, “Sometimes, they frighten people. If you say you are bombarding the place with security forces, it depends on what you have briefed the people (security agents) to do. Conscience is dead in Nigeria. The police may take money and do differently what they were supposed to do. It is not just about bringing security agents. Are they honest with themselves? Now the authorities in power are saying no more rigging, not only in Anambra State, but for all elections in Nigeria. We have fooled around for too long.”

He, however, expressed optimism on the electronic transmission of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to avoid rigging, describing it as ‘the dawn of a new Nigeria’.

The former governor said: “Before now, there were concrete fears but today, there is a change. Earlier this month, we held a summit at Rockview Hotel, where we cried about the Senate not passing the electronic transmission of election results bill.”

“What I heard recently is that the same Senate passed it, before then, INEC said they were going to use electronic transmission of result which is constitutional. I am happy about the electronic transmission of election result. It is the dawn of a new Nigeria.”

Asked if he was worried about voter apathy due to insecurity in the state, Ezeife said he was worried because he saw a strategy by some groups of people to enthrone some folks who cannot even win an election in their villages, however, expressing optimism that the former Central Bank of Nigerian (CBN) Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, is the preferred candidate for the governorship.

“I was worried about voter apathy, but things have changed. It is dramatic! For me, I was crying because I saw a strategy to enthrone people who cannot even win an election in their villages. Rigging would have led to a disaster and the chairman (INEC) says clearly that there won’t be any rigging. Last week, I was campaigning for a postponement of the election for two months because I saw too high danger, but now I am appealing to my brothers in the Southeast to ensure a new Nigeria and the change the situation,” the Igbo leader said.

He, however, appealed to sponsors of those who are threatening to spill blood in the state to put a stop to it so that the people could come out to vote, adding that it was one of the reasons why he lobbied for the postponement of the election.

Ezeife said: “Last week, I knew that some people were planning to spill more blood; I knew that some people had no confidence in what is coming, and I knew that if elections were held, people would be afraid to come out, and that was why I lobbied for postponement. But today, things have changed with the statement of the chairman of INEC about electronic transmission of results which the Senate supported. So we shall go home and appeal to all those causing violence to stop it.

“The sponsors must stop it and those who are also coming from outside with the aim of causing troubles must stop it . The reason for the killing was to frighten the people so that they don’t come out, while they rig the election. Some people who went out outside Anambra State to campaign did so because they were afraid of the insecurity ravaging the state then, but now I have seen the change coming.”

(Courtesy THISDAY)