Obiano Raises Alarm, Says His Life is Under Threat
Protests sudden withdrawal of his security detail IG removes Anambra CP ahead of election Governor’s security aides will be returned after election, says police boss
The Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano has raised the alarm over the sudden withdrawal of his security details, saying such action has exposed his life to danger.
Obiano who stated this yesterday in Awka during an election stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and presided over by the chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, described the act as unacceptable and a dangerous signal on what was to happen ahead of the governorship election.
He demanded the immediate restoration of his security details in order not to constitute further threats capable of overheating the polity.
“I want my security details returned immediately because I am going to start a fight from there. I am the governor of Anambra state and all the paraphernalia of my office must be there.
“This is unacceptable and a sign of what will happen. Those behind this would be disappointed because we are very ready for the election,” he insisted.
Apparently, to douse the tension, the inspector-general of police, Ibrahim Idris, justified the withdrawal of the security aides attached to Obiano adding that it was to prevent the re-occurrence of past elections. He however gave the assurance that the security aides will be restored on Sunday after the governorship poll in the state.
According to the governor, he had wanted to speak with the Inspector General of police who was scheduled to be at the occasion, but said he had to voice it out at the event since he was not at the event yet.
A former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, condemned the development, saying that such action gives credence to allegations that the All Progressives Congressled federal government was planning to rig the election.
He also called for answers to fresh allegations that six local governments have been pencilled down to be used for rigging the election, with the deployment of National Youth Service Corp members from Enugu State, who were not part of those trained by the. Commission to man the local governments.
But reacting, the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the event was a stakeholders’ meeting, and as such, no candidate would be accorded any special treatment regardless of his position.
He said the commission insists on equal treatment for all candidates in the election and should not only have equal standing but must be respected.
On the deployment of corps members from Enugu, the INEC chairman said the deployment became necessary following the inadequacy of corps members serving in the state.
He, however, insisted that the corp members were trained in Enugu to save the cost of moving them down to Anambra for training, especially as NYSC had insisted that its members must be delivered back to them safely after the election.
The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris who later joined the meeting announced the removal of the Anambra state police commissioner, Mr Garba Umar, saying that the move was to ensure fairness in the election as he will be replaced with three police commissioners who will each man the three senatorial zones in the state to ensure effective supervision.