—Says IPOB Leader Popular In S/East
Ahead the the November 6th Gubernatorial elections in Anambra State the leading governorship candidate and the flag bearer of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah has called on the Federal Government to employ an alternative dispute resolution mechanism in the trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as according to him only dialogue will resolve the issues of insecurity in the South East zone of the country.
The Senator representing Anambra South, Ifeanyi Ubah, said the IPOB Nnamdi Kanu, should be taken seriously by the Federal Government because he has a lot of followers in the South-East.
Ubah said this during an Arise TV interview on Monday where he revealed why he filed a motion through his counsel, Agugoesi Ikem, to visit Kanu in the custody of the Department of State Services.
The lawmaker said his aim is to find anamicable way of the resolution of the impasse so that Nnamdi Kanu could douse the tension and the threat by IPOB to lock down the South-East region won’t affect the Anambra governorship election slated for November 6 would be retracted.
According to him “You must understand that Nnamdi Kanu has a lot of followership in the South-East. So, the government should take him seriously. But we are engaging and finding political solutions to this issue. We are engaging with IPOB and showing them the importance of this election. The most important thing is that the election is constitutional, and I’m also very much sure that on the day of the election, there would be a peaceful election in Anambra state,” he said.
“I’m the only politician that’s working hard to see the leader of the indigenous people of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu so that I can also have the opportunity of talking to him and get him to talk to his people to look into the issue. Because the election is constitutional, and if really anybody loves our people, they shouldn’t be saying there’ll be no election. It doesn’t really help our people. If there’s no election, there will be voters apathy, and somebody might come in and then do something that might not augur well.
“IPOB is a very big force because most of them are not even in Nigeria. And they have their way with the media, and people are listening to them. So, that’s why I have dedicated myself to how we can bring in and proffer a political solution.”he added.
This is as the The Federal Government has vowed not to allow terror elements hijack the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, saying there is no need to embark on an exercise of self delusion.
National Security Adviser NSA, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Monguno, stated this on Monday at a special meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security ICCES in Abuja.
He said; “For those of us in security, we have already done most of what we are supposed to do.
They have been asked, charged to exhibit the highest level of professionalism, patience, perseverance, as well as self-restraint.
We have been told to operate within the confines of the law, and not to go out and exhibit tendencies that would jeopardize this exercise.
“I want to reassure the general public that the security agencies are going to do everything within their power to ensure that the people of Anambra State undergo this exercise without any incident.
“In the same vein, I want to offer a word of brotherly advice to our brothers and sisters in Anambra State who may want to use means, methods that are unorthodox and that are unusual to destabilise an already delicate situation, to please think again.
“We are all eager to achieve results in this election that will be acceptable to everybody.
Earlier, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu expressed the determination of the commission to go ahead with the exercise.
“The 2021 Anambra State Governorship election is holding in the next 12 days on 6th November 2021.
“Our deployment of non-sensitive materials and training of personnel for the election have virtually been concluded.
“The Commission has successfully accomplished 12 out of the 14 activities listed in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election released in January this year.
“The two outstanding activities are the last day of campaign, at midnight on Thursday, November 4, and Election Day which remains Saturday, November 6.
“INEC is determined to proceed with the Anambra State Governorship election as scheduled.
“The safety and protection of voters, our personnel, accredited observers, the media and materials are cardinal considerations in any election.
“We have been assured by the security agencies of a secure environment for the election.”
