From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The human rights organization, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has accused candidates of various political parties in November 6 governorship election of lack of issue based campaign and governance blueprint.
The group said that it is gubernatorial campaign flag off time in Anambra State and chickens have come home to roost. It is also “good morning” for sleeping and failed politicians or political leaders.
The Chairman of Intersociety, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi in a statement said as a matter of fact, tensions and apprehensions are high especially among failed politicians.
“Intersociety’s latest findings clearly indicate that intense fears have gripped failed politicians especially in the area of facing the masses and campaigning for their candidates and political parties.
Such fears are so high that the State ruling party and its Government of Anambra State have devised several deceitful means to go about its community to community, street to street and market to market campaigns apart from converging rented and paid crowds.
The Party had flagged off its campaign and fears of being pelted with stones and sachets of ‘pure water’ following its eight years of failure in the State have remained its nightmare.
“Guerrilla tactics and clear lack of issue based campaigns and governance blueprint have remained the stock-in-trade of most of the candidates. To them, the Seat of Anambra Governor is a private estate and an opportunity to live lavishly and kingly, cruise left, right and center in a long convoy of exotic cars as well as lavish obtainment of chieftaincy and church tiles.
“Anambra public funds have also been permanently structured as ‘permanent means of livelihood’ for some political actors who have sworn not to give their candidates a breathing space.
“We seriously fear continuation of grip of the State and its public funds by greedy politicians and nova riche in the next dispensation unless urgent critical steps are taken to thwart same. Most of the candidates have also been assessed and found to be thousands of miles away from being in the know of mountainous governance challenges facing the State.
“This is to the extent that they do not have concrete and practicable or workable policy directions on: boundary and territorial security and safety, citizens’ safety and security, water safety and security, health security, environment safety and security, mobility (road network) security and safety, communal security and safety, industrial growth and safety, revenue mobilization, governance costs reduction, urban planning and space management and human rights and rule of law”Umeagbalasi stated.