By Jude Atupulazi
The Young Progressives Party, YPP, Candidate for the November 8 Guber Election in Anambra State, Sir Paul Chukwuma, has warned Anambra Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, against plunging the state into anarchy owing to his dictatorial tendencies. Chukwuma stated this in reaction to the suspension of the State Assembly member representing Ayamelum State Constituency, Hon Bernard Udemezue, by the House, over his comment about activities in the House on social media.
Chukwuma contended that in a democracy, dictatorship started with gagging the people and their representatives under certain pretences and once achieved, the judiciary would become the next casualty.
‘Sadly, Anambra State under Gov Charles Soludo has slipped into a dictatorship. This suspension is only symptomatic to the deeper problem the polity has been plunged into by its current chief executive.
‘At the moment, the House of Assembly has lost the right to freely debate and provide direction to the Governor and perform its full functions as an institution and an essential arm of the Anambra State Government. There are strong indications that Soludo barred the House from consideration of any motion on security. Of course, the level of insecurity in Anambra has since gone beyond alarming.
Yet, the House of Assembly has not said anything. It is even so bad that the Assembly could not say anything when its member, the late Hon. Justice Azuka, was kidnapped. That sad incident was never mentioned in the plenary. This is also why the House has never raised any motion about the unlawful conduct of Agunechemba and SASA. In actual fact, the Legislature in Anambra State has collapsed.
‘Unfortunately, the judiciary is not any better. Under Soludo, the Anambra State Judicial Service Commission has taken industrial action over various credible and labour related demands. But in all, they were simply ignored, and their demands are yet to be met.
The Anambra State Parliamentary Association was similarly on strike for issues relating to the implementation of the Anambra House of Assembly Service Commission Law but were intimidated and manipulated back to work by the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo.
‘To demonstrate the pitiable dictatorship in Anambra State further, Soludo has his Aka Odo and Agunechemba thugs unleashing untold mayhem on Ndi Anambra. So, effectively, he has his own militia that serves his interests.
This is why, despite deep and troubling complaints about the modus operandi of these groups, they are still going about enjoying the full confidence of the Governor. They are still abusing and killing innocent Ndi Anambra.
‘Soludo’s State Executive Council Meetings are a one-way lecture episode with no contribution from his executives. His Commissioners are regarded less than Assistant Clerks,’ Chukwuma lamented.
He further said that insecurity in the state was treated with a casual wave of Soludo’s left hand, while the people suffered and died for no reason.
He said traders and the business community, lawyers, and lawmakers, were not safe and free from the chaos that Anambra State was undergoing because Soludo had refused to provide leadership.
‘Therefore, the suspension of Hon. Bernard Udemezue must be construed as Governor Soludo’s expansion of his dictatorship to shut down opposition, criticism, and dissenting voices.
‘This action points to Soludo’s grand plan to intimidate other State House of Assembly members and the voice of reason in Anambra State.
‘If all these are happening in Soludo’s first term, what then will happen in the unlikely event that he gets a second term?’ Chukwuma queried. While charging the people of the state to rise up, he assured them that there was hope.
