*Warns against turning State to war zone
By Chinedum Treasure
Labour Party (LP) in Anambra State has condemned what it described as rascality, cruelty, bullying and imtimidating attitude of the Soludo-led Government.
The party accused Governor Chukwuma Soludo of assuming ownership of the State as his personal enterprise following recent happenings in the state.
In a statement by the State Deputy Chairman of the party, Mr OCN Okafor on Sunday, the party insisted Soludo Government must refrain from its current actions and approach, and re-strategize for better civil and empathetic approach.
It expressed fears that the state/election would degenerate to a total war-zone if such streps were not retraced.
The statement reads: “This is the rascality, cruelty, bullying and intimidating attitude of this Soludo-led Government we are condemning!
“Let’s look at this report as alleged by Soludo’s Government that “Dr Paul Chukwuma attempted to take the gunshot victims out of FMC to another hospital” .
“Assuming but not conceding that their report is true. The primary responsibility of every Government as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria is to protect the lives and properties of her citizens and welfare”, but in this particular case, it was the agents of the Government that shot the victims in a market.
“Therefore, the Government have lost that RIGHT of protection to the citizens, because the trust is broken!
“Again, assuming but not conceding that their report is true. Should the right attitude by Commissioner Agha Mba be to block the entrance gate of a hospital?
“What if there was an emergency, would the victim have access to the hospital? He would’ve succeeded in creating more havoc than good.
“Having not heard the report of Dr Paul Chukwuma, therefore giving him benefit of doubt.
“Is blocking the entrance gate of the hospital by Commissioner Agha Mba not an attempt to hold Dr Paul Chukwuma hostage from leaving the hospital or threat to his life?
“What the victims needed most at that point was a proper and best medical attention, and Dr Paul Chukwuma wouldn’t have attempted to take them to another hospital without the consent of their relations, which Commissioner Agha Mba is not.
“One thing is clear from the current happenings in the state, Prof. Soludo has wrongly assumed ownership of Anambra State as his personal enterprise, and decided to run it the way he chooses.
“Unfortunately, being a governor doesn’t make one the owner of the state, instead a governor is a person chosen by the people of the state to manage the affairs of the state for a period of 4years.
“The management of the affairs by the governor must be accepted by majority of the citizens of the state, if not, they would revolt against the governor at the election time.
“Finally, Prof. Soludo-led Government must refrain from his current actions and approach, and restrategize for a more civil and empathetic approach; if not, I am afraid that this state/election would degenerate to a total war-zone.
“If Prof. Soludo cannot see that Ndi Anambra is rejecting his approach and policies, then him and his handlers aren’t being truthful to themselves.
“A credible alternative, a Government with compassion and empathy is needed in Anambra, and that can only be the Labour Party candidate, Dr George Moghalu.”
