By Okey Maduforo Awka
There is growing apprehension in Anambra state following the verbal war between the All Progressives Grand Alliance( APGA) and the All Progressives Congress (APC ) over the it’s Mega Rally slated to take place this Friday 30th of October at a public primary school in Onitsha South local government area.
While the APC is insisting that the holding of the rally is lawful since it followed the due process of renting a venue for it’s function, APGA dismissed the claims of the party contending that it is against the Safe Learning Environment Initiative aimed at protecting and promoting the welfare of education of children.
On the account of this development, electorates are becoming apprehensive if the rally would hold ; which prompted the APC Elders Council to urge them to attend the rally as according to the party there is nothing to fear about.
The Elders Council further urged APGA not to over heat the polity and allow the rally to hold in the interest of peace .
But the Onitsha South Local Government Council through it’s Secretary Mr Paul Onuachala described APC insistance as blatant disregard to lawful authority and pubic order.
According to Paul Onuachala;
“It is important to emphasize that these directives were not intended to target or victimize any particular candidate or political party. Rather, they form part of our “Safe Learning Environment Initiative,” designed to protect and promote the welfare and education of our schoolchildren”
“The Council has exercised restraint and responsibility in order to avoid a situation where the supposed solution becomes more harmful than the problem itself”
Onuachala stated that the Council condemns the planned rally urging members of the public to also condemn the function as illegal.
“In this regard, we urge well-meaning constituents, community stakeholders, and religious leaders to openly condemn the actions of Chief Ukachukwu and his campaign handlers, whose conduct blatantly disregards lawful authority and public order”
“This development clearly suggests that the APC candidate places little or no value on the education and well-being of our pupils”he said.
Chairman of the All Progressives Congress( APC ) Elders Council Prince Bunty Onuigbo dismissed the claims of Onitsha South Council accusing Governor Charles Soludo of having a hand in the plot to butch the party’s rally.
“The problem is that Soludo is sponsoring all of that he is trading in a place where devil do not trade ”
“You see there is sit at home in Anambra on Monday and he is doing nothing about it ”
“Anywhere we do rally, we don’t just jump into the places we meet the owner and we pay and if we pay pay it is their duty to say it is not condusive to come to school tomorrow”
Onuigbo accused the Orumba South Council of removing the canopies and bill board of Ukachukwu at Isulo a community on the area describing it as most unfortunate.
“Yesterday we went to Orumba South rally and we paid the people that have the school and could you imagine that the Chairman of Orumba South local government area came there, pulled down our bill boards and tired our canopy”
“The Chairman took his boys straight to Isulo and pulled down the bill board at Isulo ”
“You know that we paid them N50 million to hang these bill boards and I am using this opportunity to call to let the sleeping dog lye and allow the rally to hold tomorrow”
Onuigbo further contended that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not the only political party in Anambra state contesting in this election adding that this is a democracy and every political party has the right to campaign.
