By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has urged the Anambra State Governor-elect, Prof Charles Soludo, to govern the State “as the modern public governance ought to be” or in the context of hi-tech transformation of the state.

Intersociety said that a former Governor, Chinwoke Mbafinuju, governed the state retrogressively, noting that “despite coming through the window, Dr Chris Ngige governed the State “slightly above from where it was.”

Intersociety described another former Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, as a man that came through the right channel and governed the State “as the standard public governance is.”

The group hailed the people of Anambra State for toeing the path of reasoning and conscience by ensuring the emergence of a candidate of Anambra South extraction as the ‘Governor-elect’ of Anambra State.

In a statement on Saturday signed by three principal officers of the group: Emeka Umeagbalasi, Barr. Chinwe Umeche, and Barr. Chidimma Udegbunam, Intersociety expressed delight that a candidate of the Old Aguata sub-Senatorial District emerged winner of the election.

It explained that by morality, grounded logic and legal analysis, the Anambra Governorship Seat ought to be shifted to Old Aguata sub-Senatorial District, in the context of same morality and legality, from May 29, 1999 when democratic civil rule was restored in Nigeria.

The group recalled that the Ihiala sub-Senatorial District had produced electoral Governorship of the State between 1999 (May) and 2003 (May) while presently, the Nnewi sub-Senatorial District was occupying the Anambra South Senatorial seat which was the second highest electoral seat in the state.

It also stressed that Intersociety played a dominant role in campaigning for governorship shift in Anambra State, dating back in recent times to February 2020.

The statement read in part, “We had also canvassed for denominational equity in the Governorship rotation and are happy that one of the three leading political parties heeded our call and fielded a candidate to that effect.

“It is time for respected People of Old Aguata (Aguata, Orumba North and Orumba South) to congregate, aggregate and brainstorm having suffered long years of politics of stomach and clannishness and human resources and key physical infrastructural neglects and under-developments.

“The OAU People must therefore join hands in giving Anambra State true and realistic governance. They must emulate Anambra Central and its People in the provision of good governance and surpass them with thousands of miles.

“The incoming Governor of Anambra State and the Governorship seat must therefore not be reduced to “Aguata Governor/Governorship” or sobriquet “Aguleri Takeover.” Rather, the seat must be made to belong to all parts of the State and their People, but bearing in mind ‘think or remember home’ philosophy.

“It is therefore time for all members of the academia and lettered others; captains of industry and middle class others from the Old Aguata sub- Senatorial District to pull their talents and resources together for revolutionalization of OAU sub-District, bearing in mind the mandatory need to also provide for the nature and protect same by way of tree planting, flowering, conservation of forest parks, monuments, reserves and gardens and modern-day urban planning and management.”

Intersociety said it would do everything within its powers and tentacles to ensure that “Janjaweed Court Judgments” on Anambra Governorship Poll of November 2021 were given no room in the state.

“Having followed the January 2020 judicial tragedy in Imo State and patterns leading to same and its instigators, it must be boldly stated that same will not be allowed in the case of Anambra State.

“Granted that INEC declared defeated candidates in the November 2021 Anambra Governorship Poll have legal right to challenge the INEC’s declaration in Courts, including Election Petitions Tribunal, Appeals Tribunal and the Supreme Court, but their rights do not include planting “Janjweed Court Judgments” on Anambra Governorship Poll. This, we must not allow to take place”, it added.

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