EditorFOLLOWING the rising insecurity in Anambra State as governorship election approaches, Nigerian government considers declaring state of emergency in the state if it doesn’t stop.
Attorney of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami made the disclosure on Wednesday after Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in the State House, Abuja.
Malami said the measure may be adopted in order to secure the state to ensure that the election scheduled to hold on November 6, was conducted peacefully.
He said that since security of lives and properties of citizens is a constitutional responsibility of government, it would not fold its hands and allow criminality to fester.
He said, for the election to hold, government must take necessary security measures to protect the democratic order in the country.
He said, “As a government, we have a responsibility to ensure the sustenance of our democratic order. As a government, we have a responsibility to provide security to life and properties.
“When our national security is attacked, and the sanctity of our constitutionally guaranteed democracy is threatened, no possibility is ruled out. So, within the context of these constitutional obligations, of the government or the desire to establish democratic norms and order, there is no possibility that is ruled out.
“The government will certainly do the needful in terms of ensuring that our elections are held in Anambra in terms of ensuring necessary security is provided, and in terms of ensuring protection is accorded to lives and properties.
“So, what I’m saying in essence, no possibility is ruled out by the government in terms of ensuring the sanctity of our democratic order; in terms of ensuring that our elections in Anambra hold, and you cannot out rule possibilities inclusive of the possibility of a declaration of a state of emergency where it is established, in essence, that there is a failure on the part of the state government to ensure the sanctity of security of lives, properties, and democratic order.
“So, our position as a government is if these elections are going to hold, necessary security, in terms of democratic order, must certainly prevail for the purpose of this election,” Malami stated.
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