November 6, 2021 – Is Anambra Election Day!
In my last article “Anambra On My Mind” I tried to impact on my fellow Anambra citizens the virtues of having a successful election. As has been pointed out by several writers, if the northern states could conduct successful election, despite the security concerns in their region, I do not see any reason why we can not do the same. A few people have suggested that the election should be suspended until our security agencies could get things under control. I am here to tell you that this is a recipe for disaster! If these same security agents could not arrest the challenges going on in the north for all these years, how and when do you think they will be able to stabilize the state enough to conduct elections? If we Anambra citizens ever accept this suggestion to suspend our election, we can kiss our chance of another election in Anambra goodbye.
Nigeria is burning and we all know it. In the north, it is Boko Haram, in the South it is the unknown gunmen, the police, army and the Eastern Security Network (ESN). Regardless of how you feel about any of these groups, there is just simply too much propaganda and misinformation to believe anyone anymore. Everyone in Nigeria will lie to you in a heartbeat and with a straight face. I am particularly worried about these sudden “day reporters” who will video anything on their phone and provide commentaries without any attempt at verifying the truthfulness of what they are reporting. Our mainstream press cannot be trusted either. There news reports are filled with lies, unverified information and in some cases paid advertisements couched as news on their newspaper dailies. My advice to all would be to read but make every effort to verify your story and try to separate facts from fiction. In Nigeria, the line between facts and fiction is so thin, that you would not even know when you move from one area to the other. So, assimilate all information with some pessimism and doing your own research prior to acting on these news and propagandas.
One thing is clear. IPOB has made it known that they no longer subscribe to the sit-at-home order that was credited to their leadership. This denial followed the spate of killings, harassment, and property destruction by “unknown gunmen” forcing IPOB to distance itself from not only the sit-at-home order, but their no election pronouncements as well. Despite the above, these unnecessary killing and harassment continues unabated and in a few cases of confrontation between these unknown persons and the security apparatus, innocent civilians are the ones left to bear the burden and consequences. What a sad situation for a state that has boasted years of relative peaceful existence regardless of what pertains in other parts of the country. if we want the relative peace that existed in Anambra in the past to return, we must make every effort to vote on November 6, 2021. It is by coming in mass to vote in this election that we can send the message to everyone that no one can mess with Anambra folks!
As the weeks, days and minutes tick down, my advice would be to spend some time studying these respective candidates, their political parties, and affiliations. To truly move Anambra state forward, we must select an individual who has a vision and would go back to the basics to set up the infrastructural foundation on which Anambra citizens can build their fortunes and future. Listen very carefully to their pronouncements; some of them are trying to tie themselves to the failed policies of the Buhari administration, others are invoking the name of IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu to play on the emotions of Umu Igbo. My brothers and sisters, you all are smarter than that! The key is not to be swayed by money or cups of rice, remember you are in this condition because we have received and spent the money given to us from the last election. My brothers, to give me a reality check, reminded me that Nigerian politics is the politics of the stomach. I get it! There is hunger, pestilence, and death everywhere. Food is unaffordable for the average person, no hospitals to cure the sick and people are dying for issues that could be easily handled if we had the right infrastructure. However, subscribing to stomach politics would mean eating for a few days and staying hungry for the next four years. Personally, I would rather stay hungry for a few days and be guaranteed three square meals for the rest of my life for choosing the right candidate. I do not know about you! We cannot continue to sell our future and those of our children and then turn around and complain that we are being abused by our leaders. We cannot continue to elect the wrong people and complain that we lack leadership…to the contrary, the challenge has always been that we lack an electorate who can summon enough courage to elect the right people and hold them accountable.
What Anambra state can not afford at this time is to become the catalyst that creates an environment for those people who do not wish the state any good to take advantage of the ongoing chaos to derail the upcoming November elections. What should be foremost in the minds and mouths of every Anambra resident is that there must be an election come November 6, 2021, and the following represent reasons why that must be so.
Opportunity for Federal Government takeover
If you are worried that there is an Islamization plan for the entire country, then by not conducting elections, we have indirectly handed the reign of the state to the federal government who has through the Attorney General of the federation, informed us that they stand ready to declare a state of emergency and take over the state. We must all “hear” what Malami said and understand that it was a veiled threat that they will make good if the opportunity warrants. So, I am warning all Anambra citizens to not provide this opportunity to anyone to be able to take away leadership of your own state from you. If you do not vote, you are creating a vacuum that the federal government will be more than willing to come in an occupy on your behalf. My people do not miss the boat and claim that the boat sailed without you!
Opportunity to Rig and Rig Big
Please remember that not voting does not mean that some well place gubernatorial candidate(s) and money bags will not hijack the process and write in a winner of the election. We all know what happened during the APC primary elections for which that case is still making its way through our judicial system. If we continue with this notion of no election in Anambra, some of these heartless elements will take advantage to our absence to do whatever they need to do to gain access to the state coffers. All the primary elections were marred by one kind of challenge or the other – we cannot allow a repeat of what happened during the primaries due to our own penchant to “bite our nose to spite our face.” We must separate the fight for self-actualization and the incarceration of Nnamdi Kanu from this election. This election is to determine how the state moves forward for better and we need to keep it as such.
Do not throw the state into further chaos
All over the state we are currently struggling with the unknown gunmen phenomenon, kidnapping, property destruction and other atrocities. And if we are honest enough regarding why these things are happening, you will discover that these atrocities are a direct result of lack of leadership and an effective security apparatus to check these lawless activities. Could you imagine what will happen if we end up with no government for even on day? I do not even want to think about it. Today, people are taking the laws into their hands and dispensing “jungle justice” all over the place. I do understand the frustration of the average citizen, however, I am yet to see two wrongs to make one right. Furthermore, I have this fear that if we continue with this modus operandi of dispensing jungle justice, some innocent citizens may be caught in the crossfire. We do have enough challenges even with the Obiano government in place, imagine what will happen if the state house is empty all because we cannot think through some of our actions. I do not believe anyone would like Anambra state to turn into what is currently happening in Kano or Kaduna. We must conduct elections in Anambra this November.
I do anticipate that a lot of people would like to sit out this election just to avoid being caught up or injured by these no election enforcement unknown gunmen. I fully understand and empathize that Anambra safety has degenerated to the point that its citizens are now scared to go out and participate in an election while discharging their civic duties. However, we must think of the alternatives if we do not participate. On one hand, not voting will mean potential declaration of a state of emergency in Anambra state by the federal government and playing into the hands of Malami who already informed us that he will waiting on the wings to make that a reality. And on the other hand, not voting would mean some elements patiently waiting for the golden opportunity to rig the election and gain access to the Anambra purse where they will do nothing but pillage just like they have always done in the past.
Let me close with a story by T. Ubesie in his book entitled “Isi Akwu Dara N’ala.” This fabulous book was about Mr. Ubesie’s his version of what was happening on the Biafra side during the civil war. In his book, Mr. Ubesie narrated how hunger was pervasive in Biafra land, and was the leading cause of death in Biafra all due to the economic and food blockade (aka the DOT in the middle). He informs us of how the average Biafran have two choices to survive the war; and one being to Remain in Biafra land and inevitably die of hunger and starvation or venture to cross the war zone, in what was referred to as “ahia attack” to find food and feed your family. The first choice has only one outcome which is death, but the second choice of crossing the war zone has two outcomes namely getting shot and killed or being successful and feeding your family. Suffice to say that a lot of people opted for the second choice which had a 50/50 chance of success. We must apply similar principle here with this upcoming election. We could all decide to sit at home and let the federal government declare a state of emergency and take over Anambra. In that case, we cannot complain about the Islamization fear if that becomes a reality. On the other hand, we could send a clear message to the rest of Nigeria that Anambra will continue to be the “light of the nation” by coming out in our numbers to vote and elect that person most suited to continue to blaze the progressive trail for the rest of the nation. The choice is ours to make and I am hopeful that we all will make the right choice. After all we are ANAMBRA STATE…THE LIGHT OF THE NATION.
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