From Obinna Odogwu, Awka and Aloysius Attah, Onitsha Mokwugwo Solomon, Nnewi
A group, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) and the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) have raised the alarm over frivolous and discredited Court orders on the recently conducted party primaries by political parties fielding candidates in the November 6, poll.
In a joint statement, the Board Chairman of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman of Southeast Zone of the CLO, Comrade Aloysius Attah and Anambra State Chapter Chairman, Vincent Ezekwueme warned that the alarmingly disturbing development, if unchecked and not stopped was capable of scuttling the governorship poll and denying the conscientious voters in the state their constitutional right to choose their leaders democratically.
The civil rights groups described the frivolous procurement of court orders over the various party primaries as a “despicable and condemnable development” capable of allowing the state to endlessly wallow in underdevelopment, mass poverty, human and infrastructural insecurity and other unsafe conditions.
The coalition said such hydra-headed monsters must not be allowed a space in Anambra
State while some malevolent politicians and some dishonourable courts are strongly warned and advised to steer clear and leave the state alone so that their long suffering citizens will on Nov 6 2021 choose their leaders democratically, popularly and credibly.
It reminded such authors of confusion that the strong defenders of democracy who successfully fought and restored the culture of ‘one-man-one-vote’ in Anambra State after the much rigged 2003 elections were still much around and are ready to return to the trenches if such situation rises again.
“It therefore saddens our heart that some leading politicians in Anambra State have made themselves ‘perpetual propellers of individual and collective selfishness and foolishness’. To them, politics in the state has become a private estate or property, and they must have thoughtlessly forgotten that power lies in the masses including their right to vote and choose their leaders”
“ We have carefully followed and studied the unfolding events in the past weeks especially how the party primaries were conducted and concluded. And our deepest concern is the negative impacts of such on the collective security, welfare and future of the state if left unchecked or not tackled headlong, which explains our breaking of collective silence and resolve not to sit by as ‘elders and allow a pregnant mother goat deliver in titters.”