Buhari not in support of declaring state of emergency in Anambra – Obiano

Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has said that Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari is not in support of the proposed state of emergency in the state.

Obiano made the disclosure on Thursday after a meeting with Buhari at the villa in Abuja.

The governor said Buhari has assured that he was only interested in a free and fair election in the scheduled governorship exercise in the state, citing the example of his (president’s) three previous attempts to win election until his fourth endeavour.

“The President is firm, he wants a peaceful election in Anambra State. He wants a free and fair election in Anambra State, that’s the President for you,” Obiano said.

“But if people in his party are going around making insinuations, using his name to do things, the President clearly told me that he does not support that.”

He described the comments suggesting that the State of Emergency could be imposed on Anambra to engender security of lives as “unfortunate”.

The governor, while expressing his displeasure at the fact that Malami did not make such an assertion regarding the security crisis  in some northern states, advised the justice minister to reserve his expressions over such issues.

The governor also rejected assertions that members of the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state House of Assembly had defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC), explaining that the members were given a hundred million each to join the opposition.

Recent violent events in Anambra have stirred doubts regarding the possibility of holding a free and fair election in the state by November.

Malami had said no possibility will be ruled out inclusive of a declaration of state of emergency in the determination to ensure a hitch-free election.

“When our national security is attacked, and the sanctity of our constitutionally guaranteed democracy is threatened, no possibility is ruled out,” Malami said.

“As a government, we have a responsibility to ensure the sustenance of our democratic order. As a government, we have a responsibility to provide security to life and properties.”