Lawmakers from the Labour Party (LP) representing Anambra State in the National Assembly have raised alarm over an alleged plot by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to influence Saturday’s bye-elections through the deployment of thugs and non-state security operatives.
The lawmakers claimed that the governor, alongside the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), is planning to use state-backed security groups and enforcers to intimidate voters and skew the electoral process in favour of APGA candidates.
The bye-elections for the Onitsha North 1 State Constituency and the Anambra South Senatorial District are expected to be tightly contested.
In a joint statement signed by Senators Victor Umeh and Tony Nwoye, along with six House of Representatives members; George Ozodinobi, Afam Ogene, Emeka Idu, Prof. Lilian Orogbu, Peter Anekwe, and Uchenna Okonkwo, the LP lawmakers accused Soludo of coordinating efforts to undermine the integrity of the elections.
“Information at our disposal indicates that Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have concluded plans to deploy men of the state’s security outfit, Udogachi, crude revenue enforcers, popularly known as Ndi Aka Odo, and other non-state actors to take over various voting points for the bye-elections,” the lawmakers alleged.
They warned that allowing the governor to control security operations during the elections would hand his party an unfair advantage.
“In an election where APGA candidates are major contenders, it would be foolhardy to allow the governor to take charge of security arrangements,” the lawmakers argued.
They called on top national security agencies to intervene and take over security responsibilities to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful electoral process. Their appeal was directed to the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Chief of Army Staff, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division in Enugu, the Commanding Officer of the Field Artillery in Onitsha, the Directors of the Department of State Services (DSS) at both national and state levels, and the Corps Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
“The whole essence of democratic governance revolves around freedom of choice, made possible by free and fair elections,” the LP legislators said, describing the Anambra bye-elections as a “litmus test” for Nigeria’s commitment to credible electoral outcomes.
Referring specifically to the Onitsha North Constituency 1 race, the lawmakers condemned what they described as excessive desperation by Governor Soludo’s administration to defeat the ADC candidate, who is the widow of the late former representative, allegedly kidnapped and killed during his tenure.
“We are shocked to the bone marrow by the level of desperation of Governor Soludo and the APGA-led state government against a widow whose husband was kidnapped and killed while representing the constituency,” they stated.
They stressed that as an off-cycle election, the Anambra polls would attract close attention from both domestic and international observers, political stakeholders, and the media.
“As a people, we must therefore strive to ensure that everyone plays by the rules,” the statement concluded.
