Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the people of Anambra will go to the polls on November 6, in what unarguably has been the most hotly contested dog-fight gubernatorial election in the state’s history. The Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Don Adinuba, in this interview with MAYOWA SAMUEL, explains the government’s readiness to ensure the safety of the electorates wwand electoral staff as well as APGA’s preparedness to maintain victory at the polls. Excerpts:
Anambra State has been in the news for obvious reasons, particularly the upcoming governorship election on November 6. Considering the security challenges in the South East how is the state preparing for this poll in terms of security of lives and property?
We are ready. Security is essentially on the exclusive list, meaning that the federal government is essentially in charge of security, whether you are talking about the Police, Army, Navy, State Security Service or Civil Defense. We are getting cooperation from the federal government. The Inspector General of Police has announced that 34,000 policemen will be here and the president has graciously directed that all Service Chiefs, including the Director General of the SSS to provide a robust answer to the security challenges, especially during the election, so we are glad. We are expecting troops from both the Army and the Navy. Some of us are expectant that the large number of security officers may not be necessary at the end of the day because we expect IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) to change their stance. We know that statesmen like Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, a former governor of Anambra State have been speaking to them. We have our back channel communication, so nobody will be surprised if they change their stance as they did four years ago when they announced that the Anambra State elections will not hold, they eventually changed their position in the light of reason and the spirit.
Hundreds of INEC adhoc staff allegedly resigned over fears regarding the threat from IPOB recently. Is the state government concerned about a potential voter apathy resulting from this threat?
I have heard that report but I don’t know how credible it is that up to a half of the INEC ad-hoc staff members have left, I will have to cross check but I’m expecting a good turnout. Members of APGA and the Soludo solidarity groups are enthusiastic and itching to come out and vote. If APC supporters do not turn out, people may not be so surprised. I think they have actually given up, they are not going to make much impact, for one month, they’ve not campaigned, they did not go anywhere. PDP is not part of the race but APGA is available, about everywhere. When the APC and PDP announced the suspension of their campaigns, they attributed it to security issues.
I don’t think that’s an honest explanation. Soludo was attacked on March 31, 2021, he lost three police officers guarding him, yet he goes about, together with the governor.
“I think there are about 18 candidates in this election. They can afford to campaign anywhere, they can go to Congo, Cameroon and campaign, they are welcome. They know they are not expecting votes”
They hold an average of two rallies, that is two local government areas every day and they always have crowds. APGA has lost its chairman in Nnewi who was killed a day or two before Dr. Chike Akunyili was assassinated, but here we are campaigning as if nothing happened because we don’t want to give in to violent people.
Anambra governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party, Ifeanyi Uba, has been campaigning outside the state. Doesn’t that certify the security fears, if a governorship candidate is going outside the state to campaign, how much more the electorates who are within the state?
I think there are about 18 candidates in this election. They can afford to campaign anywhere, they can go to Congo, Cameroon and campaign, they are welcome. They know they are not expecting votes.
How has the regular “Sit at home” order on Mondays affected the economy of the state?
Well, I do not have the statistics, so I cannot speak authoritatively but in Awka, a lot of people come out, people do go to work. They do their normal businesses, banks open but not in Onitsha. But I do know that not just the government, people are suffering. A lot of people who depend on their daily earnings for survival and to meet their basic responsibilities are suffering. People that do sell akara, akamu, hawkers, food vendors, newspaper vendors, cab drivers, bus conductors, carpenters, plumbers and dry cleaners are also affected because they depend on their daily income. So, this affects them, these are not the richest members of the society, it is their fate that troubles me more than the government itself.
IPOB has given the deadline of November 4 to the federal government to release Nnamdi Kanu or they will declare a lockdown of Biafra land “No Kanu, No election”. But you have also said the Ibo leaders are speaking with them. In case they refuse to heed to the leaders’ appeal, what is the government bracing up for?
I’m going to reply you by using an expression that is newly popular in Nigeria. We are going to use both kinetic and non-kinetic forms of strategy to address the challenges. One, we can use force; we can also talk about getting the mind and hearts of the people. What former governor Ezeife and his colleagues are doing is to engage these people in dialogue, a wordy conversation and that is very useful. Conversation got IPOB change its mind four years ago after it had declared that there will be no election.
The state deputy governor, Nkem Okeke, recently defected to the APC. Don’t you think this will affect the chances of APGA governorship candidate, Chukwuma Soludo, at the polls?
Well, I will be surprised if Nkem Okeke, who is my very good friend, does not vote for Soludo because he knows what is good for Anambra State. Even very senior people in APC told Nkem Okeke you have no business being with the APC in Anambra. The APC in Anambra is a group apart but he replied by saying “I don’t want to deal within; I want to deal with people at the national level.” Forget my very good friend, Nkem Okeke, he is not a politician, he’s an academic. Can we bet? In his home town, APGA will not only win, APGA will sweep his home town. I grew up in his home town so I regard him as my brother. His very close cousins I know them. I grew up in Enugwu Ukwu and I also regard myself as an Enugwu Ukwu person very proudly. We are very nice people and I integrated very well with them. I still speak the dialect better than most indigenes. Having said that, it is funny when newspaper headlines say so so person defected, therefore, they are going to make an impact to their party, I laugh. On September 15, there was a burial in Aguata local government area, a state legislator from there, joined the APC. I came for the funeral, he was shocked about people’s attitude, almost nobody agreed to shake hands with him, he had to run away. I will be very frank with you, those of them who are my personal friends who joined, will still vote for Soludo.
APGA has not really made headway in elections at the national level, what new and unique strategy is the party going to adopt to ensure it’s a different story this time, as the 2023 polls draw near?
I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to discuss this in a public forum. A strategy that is still evolving? Not at all. When we are ready, with our strategy fully developed, I will let you know, but for now, it’s not right.
