Two candidates in the forthcoming Anambra governorship election have blamed political leaders from the South-East, particularly those from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) for the on-going military torture and killings in parts of Abia state.
Osita Chidoka, who is the flag-bearer of the United Progressive Party (UPP), and Valentine Onwuka, who is the governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), stated this in separated statements.
Chidoka, said in his statement that he stood by his previous media comments in which he alleged that Igbo leaders in the APC and the APGA were culpable in the military invasion of the South East.
He, however, urged the youths that despite the provocation in the South East, they should not resort to violence.
“After we blamed the escalation of hostilities against the region on the silence of Igbo leaders in APC and APGA, we have been inundated by the two parties attempting to rationalize their failure.
“They should direct their explanations, if they have any, to the people and not to us. They should face the people and rationalize to them the harassment, humiliation and killing of our unarmed brothers and sisters,” the statement, added.
It could be recalled that Osita Chidoka Campaign had kicked against the heavy deployment of troops and weapons to the southeast states by the military for its operation, tagged “Exercise Egwu Eke II” (Python Dance II) in the region.
On his part, Onwuka, condemned the military operation in Abia State as ill-advised and preposterous.
Onwuka, in his statement, said that the South East governors’ inactions were to blame for the rise of the secessionist movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“I would want to state categorically without equivocation that the South East governors should as a matter of urgency resist any attempt to create mayhem in the region.
“If they had acted proactively and galvanised people through positive education and evident show of genuine concern, we won’t be here today.
“The masses have lost hope in their ability to be true representatives of the people, and would rather go for an alternative perceived to be in tune with their needs.
“This is the reason I have always maintained that we must start electing individuals that would represent our core ideologies as a people and align with the positive leanings of the masses.
“We must squeeze out of the money politics and politics of aggrandisement, if we are to have any meaningful change that can ensure that the type of carnage we just saw in the South East in the name of ‘Operation Python Dance’ does not happen again, “ he said.
