Comrade Peter Okala was a Governorship candidate of the National Conscience Party, in Anambra State, in the 2003 election and is currently the Anambra State coordinator, Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association, ASMATA, APGA Solution Support Group, SSG. In this exclusive interview with State Information Officer, Onitsha South correspondent, Juliana Nwachukwu, he explains why oppositions take issue with Anambra State Local Government Federal allocation to Abuja court and other issues. Except:
GOOD DAY SIR, MAY I KNOW YOU
“You are welcome, my name is sir, comrade Peter Okala, I was an ex-gubernatorial candidate of the National Conscience Party, in Anambra 2003, and I am currently the State coordinator, of ASMATA APGA Solution Support Group, SSG.
WHAT IS THIS ASMATA APGA SSG ALL ABOUT
Well, I have to be brief on it because I want to speak mostly on Abuja court that the opposition sued the state government on LG Federal allocation to stop the allocation that comes to the local government because of their alleged claim of nonconduct of LG election. Why did they go to Abuja to sue instead of Anambra they are accusing, don’t we have a Federal court in Anambra State?
Well, like I said, let me brief you on SSG. It is a way of. creating awareness on the numerous achievements of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, because not everyone knows the numerous achievements he has made in just two years in the state. So we now get to each market, inaugurate a team of traders with the market chairman as a leader, to now get inside the market and spread the good news of these achievements by the governor. The achievements are there for all to see, it is not an earmark but an eye mark, you see them with your Korokoro eyes. The opposition is jittery about these achievements because what they were not able to achieve in 18 years was achieved by Soludo in just two years and these achievements will speak for him come the 2025 governorship election in the state.
OK SIR, LET’S GET TO THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY LIKE YOU SAID, THE COURT ISSUE.
“Yes, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended no doubt resolved all the issues bordering on the Local Government Councils not only as its creation but also as the undeniable third tier of government otherwise known as the government at the grassroots. Relevant sections of the Constitution ás amended only Envisaged Natural causes ás the only Provision that may have formed a Reason for delayed Conduct of the Said Local Government Council Elections in the entire Federation of Nigeria, it includes Epidemics of high proportion like Ebola, COVID-19 19, Earthquake, Landslide, and War, but in Anambra State, the alleged Sponsors of war and insecurities are the ones mounting Pressure on the government for a quick Conduct of the said Elections because if they have failed severally to clinch the governorship seat, the atmosphere of Crisis May create an opportunity for them. The first Court order was against Mr Peter Obi which led to his conversion of the Care Taker Committees into elected Local Government officials within a few months to the end of his second tenure in office.
The second Court order procured by Political Merchants and Hawks through a surrogate from Abuja High Court to extort Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR who is the face of Anambra Renewed hope for the proper conduct of the local government elections at the grassroots. A careful study of the two Court orders revealed that the first Court order was sought, obtained, and Sponsored by a man of Character and distinguished former governorship Candidate in Anambra State in 2003, Comrade Sir Peter Okala, whose primary purpose was for good governance to the grassroots where the people would hold their local government leadership into account, sort and obtained in Onitsha high Court Anambra State under hands of the Hon Justice J C Nwadi in Suit No 360/M/2007, the order of Mandamus was graciously granted and substituted service effected on the defendants, the reason was that the applicant had an interest in contesting the said local government elections in Anambra State but was prevented by the delayed Conduct of the said elections and seeking His Lordship’s Consequential declaration for immediate conduct of the said Elections. This Particular order of March 2008 was against Mr Peter Obi as Governor of Anambra State
The second Court order was sought, obtained, and sponsored by some political merchants and hawks 16 years after the first Court order, The Abuja High Court used a surrogate in Abuja with variable reliefs and Parties thus asking the court to stop the monthly Local Government Council allocation to the government of Anambra State led by Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The suit no FCT/HC/CV/2260/2024 asking the Honorable Court to restrain the listed defendants to stop the remittance of the said federal government allocations due for the 21 local governments in Anambra State and Mandating the listed defendants to henceforth remit the due allocation for the 21 local governments in Anambra State in an interest bearing account of the registry of the Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, also an order directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the spending of Anambra State local government allocations from March 17th, 2022, and such orders deemed fit by the Honorable Court in the Circumstances. Hon Justice Bello Kawu of the FCT High Court in Abuja Division also granted their reliefs.
KINDLY THROW MORE LIGHT ON THE DIFFERENCE AND REASONS ON THE TWO COURTS.
Another background study of the Court Division, parties, jurisdiction, and reliefs revealed that the first Court order in Onitsha High Court Anambra State in suit no O/360m/2007, dated 18/3/2007, was a normal and lawful agitation for the Conduct of Local Government Council Elections to enable Government at the grassroots to function, but the second Court order sort and obtained from FCT High Court in Abuja Division in suit no FCT/HC/CV/2260/2024, dated 22/5/2024 through a surrogate was sponsored by political merchants and hawks in Anambra State whose unquenchable desire to become the governor of Anambra State was behind the litigation.
LET US GET IT CLEAR, IS THERE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION THAT MAY STOP THE CONDUCT OF THE LG ELECTION
“Yes, insecurity, natural disaster, war, among others. Since assuming office on March 17th, 2022 Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR administration inherited baggage of Insecurities resulting in the taking over of eight Local Government Council Areas out of the 21Local Government Council Areas by bandits and kidnappers which accounted for about 40% of the total population of Anambra State, Anambra Road network was simply a nightmare, many access Roads were already cut off by Erosion and development indices were Completely absent owing to massive failure recorded by Successive regimes
The insecurities which were partly sponsored by the political merchants and the oppositions as a way of creating a crisis that would lead to their taking over the governorship seat to enable them to unleash terror on the unsuspecting Ndi Anambra, but alas Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR came up with Solution mantra, took the bull by the horns, employed a Scientific and Strategic fight against insurgency, banditry and kidnapping by offering jobs to our unemployed youths and putting food on their table, giving one youth with two skills empowering them with grants, building infrastructures and changing the narratives within a time frame, using intelligence gathering and modern security implements, hiring thousands of workers to increase the state workforce without discrimination. Soon the eight Local Government Council Areas hitherto Occupied and Controlled by Unknown Gun Men, Kidnappers, and bandits were recovered, and normal activities were restored which made the Political Merchants and Oppositions jobless hence the Rush to FCT Abuja High Court using a surrogate to sort and obtain an order to stop the remittance of the allocations into the Anambra State coffers.
The true definition of democracy in the mind of these Merchants was merely to become the governor of Anambra State and use Same to build the financial empire of their desires and damn the Consequences, some have already become instrumental to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the state with a negative Stereotype of fighting Insecurities while worsening and escalating Same.
SO WHAT EXACTLY DO THE OPPOSITIONS WANT TO BENEFIT BY GOING TO ABUJA COURT
These political merchants and hawks initiated litigation simply to starve the Anambra State of funds that they use to fight insurgency so that Crimes and Criminalities would overwhelm the state which could push the state government into submission thereby bringing them to a negotiating table where a huge chunk of the Allocations would find it’s the way in their leaking pockets. It’s also the mind of these Merchants and hawks that the litigation would continue till 2025 during which stage they would use the said funds as collateral to borrow huge amounts of money from finance houses both locally and Internationally to offset election campaigns with a negative Stereotype of winning the said elections to the detriment of Ndi Anambra State. In their negative imagination, FCT Abuja High Court was within their reach to abuse the proceedings of the Court and bring undue influence to the Honorable Court which would delay the quick adjudication and dispensing of the said matter in the interest of justice, thereby delaying the speed of development in Anambra State.
The greatest in the figment of their imagination is that with the above litigation going on in faraway Abuja, they would suddenly become governor, become in charge of the said allocations, and use the said funds to service their overdue high-profile debts without considering the fate of Ndi Anambra. It’s a concluded assertion that democratization of the third tier of government otherwise known as the government at the grassroots is the way to go, both morally, Spiritually, and judicially attest to the facts that Government without the grassroots remains undemocratic.
Be that as it may, the government of Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR which emerged barely two years ago has been at war and having inherited nearly half of the state population overwhelmed and battling with insurgency, providing infrastructures, building capacity in human capital, raising the bars of leadership, creating awareness and leaving no one behind.
Recently, this Government submitted an executive bill in the state house of Assembly, Made several Executive orders regarding and setting the stage for the Conduct of the local government elections in the twenty-one local government councils, and transition Committees have been appointed to deliver on all the government highly resourceful Instruments of transition to the people at the grassroots, in fact in the last sixteen years no Government had demonstrated the sincerity of purpose towards the Conduct of the said local government elections More than the present administration.
It’s, therefore, My humble submission that the attorney general of Anambra State should call on the FCT Abuja High Court to reverse the said restraining Exparte order and mandate issued against Anambra State Government, transfer of the said suit no FCT/HC/CV/2260/2024 to the Anambra State High Court for the interest justice. This is because the intention of the Sponsors of the said FCT Abuja High Court is evil, and has nothing to do with equity, fairness, and good conscience but purely to sabotage the war against insurgency in Anambra State and have more blood of Ndi Anambra splashed on the altar of selfish Political ambition.
Those whose definition of democracy was for them to become Governor in Anambra State should have a rethink as their ambition should not be exchanged with the blood of Ndi Anambra, that the real democratization is for the Three Hundred and Twenty Six ward councilors, Thirty members of the State House of Assembly, Twenty-One Local Government Council Chairmen, Eleven Members of the Federal House of Representatives and Three Members of the Senate and this is what Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR administration is Committed to.
