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By ANAYO OKOLI,
Sunday, November 14, 2004
For the people of Anambra State, Wednesday, Novermber 10, 2004, would remain indelible in their mind as a day of terror by some thugs who invaded, Awka, the state capital and Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre, leaving in their trial orgy of destruction of public buildings and vehicles and injuries on the citizens. While the peole of Anambra State were counting the loss of the Wednesday’s invansion by the thugs, who are not faceless, but who sent them could be pointedly identified, Thursday again descended on the cities, especially, Awka.
What is clear to the people of Anambra State is that the attacks have caused serious havoc in the state, but what they cannot pointedly say is who is actually responsible for the attacks. Both Governor Chris Ngige’s camp and Chief Chris Uba’s faction have been trading accusations against each other. But one thing is crystal clear, the attack was launched by the PDP which is the ruling party in the state.
The two camps have been at each other’s throat since the April 19,2003 governorship election in the state which saw Ngige emerge as the Governor. Uba himself openly boasted that he single-handedly installed Ngige as the Governor implying that he never won the election.
The cause of this crisis, by and large, is the quest for the control of Anamra State by PDP chieftains. They are in effect believed to be struggling over who and who will contest the December 18 2004 local government elections. Ngige and Uba’s groups have been struggling over the list of candidates to be accepted by the state Electoral Commission. While Ngige has his own list, Uba’s list was approved and recognized by the PDP leadership which asked the commission to work with the list. As it happened, it was on the day the Uba group was flagging off its campaign that the mayhem broke out, prompting accusations and counter accusations.
The goverment has named some indigens of Anambra whom they allehed planned the attack on the state. The Deputy Governor, Chief Ugochukwu Nwankwo at a press conference in Awka alleged also that the police connived with the hoodlums to cause the mahem in the stae. According to him, as the situation deteriorated, soldiers were drafted to some areas like the Niger Bridge to save-guard it. The Police Commissioner, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu who was accused by the government of conniving with the hoodlums, said the thugs overwhelmed the police. He said he had requested for reinforcement. People have been reacting to the attacks.
The Chairman of Aguata Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief C.O. Ezeanowai Obiezu comdemned it as “a charade and clearly directed at Governor Ngige”. “It is an act we all must condemn. The aim is to call for a state of emergency, but wecannot succumb to that. Any person who has anything against Ngige should pursue it through the law,” he said and called on the Federal Government not to succumb to the antics of these he called enemies of goverment.
A Human Rights activits, Barr. Chuka Obele-Chuka traced the crisis to the controversal governorship election in the state and warned against the imposition of a state of wmergecy on the state.
“This is exactly what will contnue to happen in Anambra State so long as Ngge is in custody of a stolen mandate delivered by our long suffering people of Anmbra State on April 19,2003, to Mr. Peter Obi. If he likes, let him remain, but he will know no peace until he surrrenders the sacred mandate of the people”, Obele said.
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