Anambra guber: Focus on development agenda, not hate speeches, NNPP tells contestants

Governorship candidates of the various political parties in the November 18 election in Anambra State have been advised to operate with an open mind and relate with each other and the electorates with the understanding that they all have equal stake in the future of the state and not as their inferior.

Giving the advice in a statement signed by its Head of Media, Mr. Dipo Olayoku, the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP), noted that, “It is our view that, this is not the way to go.

The expectation is that contestants should discuss issues with clear vision on how best to develop and improve the living condition of Anambra citizens and Nigerians in general.

“It shall be our advice that contestants should not turn themselves to tin-gods and/or judges on any matter that may be perceived as an obstacle to their intentions of winning elections.

There are platforms of the Government where individuals should lodge their complaints for proper investigations.

The idea of castigating or insulting the incumbent governor or other contestants on the pages of newspapers, electronic media and online publications are not good for our democracy as it portends grave danger capable of inciting violence in the polity thereby threatening the peace of the state.

“Accordingly the flag bearer of our great party, Mr. Charles Okafor is hereby encouraged to keep to the policy and philosophy of our party i.e. “politics without bitterness” and avoid any act capable of breaching the peace of the state and/or the ongoing electioneering campaigns.”

The party noted that Anambra State is a very strategic state in Nigeria for obvious reasons. “It is the only state wherein wealth and riches are evenly distributed amongst families arising from hard-work and grace of God.

It is for this reason and many others, that politics in the state is always pulsating and very interesting.

“It is also highly competitive and emotional. The ongoing race for the Government House, Awka, is proving true to type as various contestants/candidates of the various political parties in the November 18, 2017 gubernatorial election try to outdo one another.

“May we at this point remind us that it is only God that gives power and authority to serve for the good of the greater numbers.

We have indeed observed that the ongoing campaigns for the gubernatorial election are characterised by avoidable blackmail and mudslinging among the contestants, especially the self acclaimed frontrunners.

“And for the avoidance of doubt, it shall be mere rhetoric and an insult to the sensibility of voters for any contestant to use building of roads, digging bore holes for water, provision of electricity, agriculture and youth empowerment, etc as campaign promise, because it is statutory to do so as a Government.

“It shall be more meaningful for a contestant to tell the Anambra people how he or she can influence trade policies of the government because the citizens of the state are predominantly involved in international trade and commerce.

“How he/she will help the traders to engage in manufacturing and promote industrialisation with a view to increasing Internally Generated Revenue and most importantly creating employment. How they will develop skilled labour in Anambra State that can be exported etc.

Among others they should showcase, how to aggregate laudable programmes to better the lives of Anambra people, promote welfare, put in place social security, and education trust fund thereby ensuring adequate security,” they advised.