The Anambra State Government has described the joint protest embarked upon by tipper drivers, ex-councilors and a non-governmental organization known as Recover Nigeria Project, as a calculated attempt to breach the existing public peace in the state.
instigate citizens against governnent as well as cause confusion and rancour.
The State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don Adinuba, who spoke on behalf of the State Government, also said the protest was aimed at
instigating the citizens against governnent as well as cause confusion among the citizenry.
He maintained that the protest was politically motivated and allegedly sponsored by a desperate politician who was power-thirsty and was also determined to topple the present state government.
According to the public service announcement, Anambra State Government is in possession of intelligence reports of the plan by some tipper drivers in the state to start a politically motivated action by blocking major roads and streets, ostensibly to ask for, among other things, an immediate election into local governments.
He said the drivers were being manipulated by a desperate politician who could not wait for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to lift the ban on the electioneering campaign for the office of the Governor of the State which will hold in November, next year.
He added that the said sponsor has been corrupting leaders of some factions of the tipper drivers union with filthy lucre, and seems too ignorant and desperate to know that the question of an election into Local Governments in the state is sub judice, that is, it is before the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The statement further noted, unable to accept the State Government’s victory on this matter at the Court of Appeal, a handful of opposition politicians escalated the litigation to the Supreme Court rather than accept the decision of the Court of Appeal in good faith and prepare for an election.
The Commissioner posited that Anambra has over the years remained Nigeria’s safest and most peaceful state, with a level of social harmony unknown in any other part of the country since the restoration of democratic rule, and added that any group of people who allow themselves to be used by a desperate politician to thwart the atmosphere of peace, harmony and solidarity will be made to feel the full weight of the law.
He disclosed that all security agencies in the state have been directed to ensure that no illegal action capable of disturbing the public peace is allowed to take place, and enjoined the citizens to go about their normal business without fear.
The State Government would like to use this opportunity to thank most members of the tipper drivers union for their loyalty to the people of Anambra State, and urged them to remain law abiding and patriotic.
It would be recalled that the protesters led by Comrade Osita Obi, the convener of Recover Nigeria Project and Movement for Conduct of Local Governnent Elections in Anambra state, stormed the Jerome Udorji Secretariat Complex as well as the State House of Assembly Complex, Awka, blocking the roads with tippers, carring placards and chanting war songs signifying their disenchantments over the non-conduct of local government polls, exploitative taxations on tipper drivers and the non-payment of severance allowances to ex-elected councilors who claimed that some of their members have died out of frustrations.
Obi said, ” We are here at the state house of assembly to demand for the conduct of local government elections in Anambra state, for them to pay the councilors and also look at the issue of tipper drivers. Governnent is extorting tipper drivers. They are taking N1,500 per trip of latrites and stones from tipper drivers.”
”Peter Obi’s administration collected just N200 from them per day but Obiano’s administration is collecting N1,500 from them per trip every day.”
80% of the revenues collected in this state goes to individuals.
Meanwhile it would be recalled that the protesters led by Comrade Osita Obi, the convener of Recover Nigeria Project and Movement for Conduct of Local Governnent Elections in Anambra state, stormed the Jerome Udorji Secretariat Complex as well as the State House of Assembly Complex, Awka.
The protesters blocked the roads with tippers, carried placards and chanting war songs, signifying their disenchantments over the non-conduct of local government polls, exploitative taxations on tipper drivers and the non-payment of severance allowances to ex-elected councilors who claimed that some of their members have died out of frustrations.
Speaking on the occasion, the convener, Comrade Obi, said they were at the State House of Assembly to demand for the conduct of local government elections in the state, for government to pay the councilors and also look at the issue of tipper drivers.
They also complained of Governnent extorting tipper drivers as officials are collecting 1,500 naira per trip of latrites and stones from tipper drivers.
The protesters said past administration collected just 200 naira from them per day, while this administration is collecting 1,500 naira from them per trip every day.
They even alleged that 80 per cent of the revenues collected in this state goes to individual pockets.
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