… Says Soludo, Emasculating LG System
By Jude Atupulazi
The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Anambra State, has raised alarm over what it terms the worsening trend of assassinations, kidnappings and random killings in the state following the recent killing of the President General of Umuoji Community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Mr Silas Onyima, by gunmen, some of who have been reportedly arrested by the Police.
In a press statement signed by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Mr Promise Okongwu, the party recalled that few weeks ago, Anambrarians were startled with the news of the kidnapping and killing in Orsumoghu of Barr. Jude Oguejiofor, a reputable Nnewi based lawyer and legal adviser of Anambra State PDP.
It regretted that while the dust was yet to settle, Soludo’s local enforcement agents were on February 16, fingered in the fatal shooting and death of an innocent trader at Ogbo Ogwu (Pharmaceutical Market) at Head Bridge, Onitsha.
The party further said, ‘The recent killing of Umuoji PG brings the number of Anambra Community Presidents General that have lost their lives to about six. They are the Presidents General of Omor in Ayamelum Local Government Area; Oroma Etiti in Anambra West Local Government Area; Nimo in Njikoka Local Government Area; Nanka in Orumba North Local Government Area and Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area.’
The party heaped the blame on the Soludo-led Government of Anambra State, citing poor implementation of the neighborhood security strategy, which, it said, required coordinated collaboration between the people in the communities and the orthodox security apparatus.
The party wondered how the people in the local communities could be effectively galvanized for action without an efficient local government presence, which, it said, was necessary in bringing the imprimatur of government closer to the people to engender successful security operation in the local areas.
‘The Local government system is the tier of government that is closest to the people, but it has been rendered redundant by Soludo. They are supposed to anchor and coordinate the people in neighborhood security operations, but under Soludo, they are not provided with the required finances. The Statutory Federal Revenue allocations meant for the local government areas in Anambra have been converted to First Line Loot by the governor, as his local government caretaker appointees merely serve the purpose of appendages to sign away the local government funds while receiving very little percentage, as their own share of the booty,’ the party alleged.
PDP in the release, queried what it called the proper utilization of the security votes by Soludo, noting that in the absence of strategic support from the state government, many Presidents General had to rely on self-help to fight the criminals in their domains, thereby exposing themselves to attack and death in the face of superior firepower by the criminals.
‘It is not a hidden fact that as at today, some communities in the Ihiala axis are firmly under the control of the criminals where the residents are mandated to either pay taxes to the criminals or die,’ it said.
The party urged Soludo to brace up to his biggest responsibility as governor, which, it said, was to protect the life and property of the people.
PDP said, ‘The number of unreported cases of kidnappings, killings and violent crimes in Anambra have become so enormous that Ndi Anambra are now overwhelmed due to the governor’s apparent incapacity.
‘We advise the governor to take the first step of freeing the local government allocations by conducting local government elections and rejigging his security strategy to lessen the burden of maladministration on Anambra people.
