This afternoon, Anambra State Government unrepentant about how much damage they have caused to the reputation of the State last Saturday’s elections invited some candidates to the government house and made jumbo offers to them to sign a pr-pared text by APGA and the government.
In fact the statement was prepared by a Deputy Director General in the APGA campaign who is a serving member of the state cabinet.
While five of the candidate fell for the hook, we are proud of the greater number –over seven of them towed the path of honour by rejecting the offer and calling for a total cancellation of the results in line with the dictates of their conscience.
We commend these seven candidates namely : Chief Basil Onuora Onyeachonam (Social Democratic Party ,SDP), chief Dennis Oguguo (KOWA Party),Chief Anayo Arinze (African Democratic Congress ,ADC),Hon. Basil Iwuoba (Peoples Party of Nigeria PPN), Chief Chuka Nwankwo ,Accord), chief Patrick Ibeziako (African Peoples Alliance ,APA), Professor Ben Akanegbu (United Peoples Party ,UPP).
History is repeating itself in Anambra State, and we are proud that there are still persons who can say no to impunity irrespective of whether they are frontliners in the race. We commend them and cannot but note that these seven have written their names in the Anambra State Hall of Fame, which for the time being resides in our minds. When the political history of Anambra State is written, these candidates will take their place.
Their call for total cancellation brings to 18, out of 23, the number of candidates that have voted for the total cancellation of the elections.
Some other candidates however have taken the money offered by the Peter Obi led State Government whose succeeding mission is to do personal business with Anambra State apparatus, no matter what odium the state faces as a result of these mercantile actions, which includes procurement of November 16, 2013 elect ions.
The candidates who did not receive the blessing of their party and supporters but fell for the offer include Godson Okoye (United Democratic Party, UDP), Engr. Tony Anene (Action Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN) , Dr. Webster Okonkwo (National Conscience Party, NCP), Leonard Uchendu (New Nigeria People Party, NNPP) and Pastor Simon Okafor (MMMP.
These minorities will have their say, but we now know where they are coming from. However it is not so much the number as much as the fact that what INEC conducted in Anambra State is a an unlawful elections that brazenly contravened many sections of the Electoral Act and disfranchised so many, witnessed intimidation of voter, violence, intimidation and outright denial of voting materials.
We restate our stand, now shared with seventeen other campaigns that only fresh elections would be acceptable to the generality of Anambra State, and see the current divide as an opportunity for Ndi Anambra to identify their enemies, who wish that they should not vote so that their governors will be appointed from the ranks of the corrupt and inept.
For: NGIGE 2014
Chris Ngige campaign Organisation
OKELO MADUKAIFE
