Sen. Stella Oduah (Anambra North) has urged the people of Anambra to come out en masse to vote in next Saturday’s governorship election to avoid creating a vacuum of governance in the state.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Oduah said that if the people failed to vote, they would be giving room for a possible declaration of a state of emergency.
She explained that the Constitution did not allow for a vacuum in any state and as such if the current term lapses and a governor had not been elected, then an administrator would be appointed.
“Therefore if we fail to cast our votes, if we fail to come out to vote and have a new governor, what will happen is that the Federal Government will provide an administrator and declare a state of emergency.
“That is not what we want. It means that democracy will elude us, who is governing us would not be who we voted for or who we desired.
“This is not about which party I belong to. It is about saving our state, it is about making sure that our youths, our women, our children have a peaceful and enabling environment where good governance and policies will strive.
“Therefore we must make sure that we come out on the 18th and vote,” she said.
The PDP lawmaker also charged political leaders in the state to call on their followers to come out and vote at the November 18 exercise.
The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had threatened Anambra voters with death if they vote at the election. They also vowed to disrupt the poll.
But in a swift reaction, the Anambra State Police Command asked residents of the state to go out en masse to exercise their franchise on the day of the election.
Giving more reasons why Anambra people must vote, Oduah said that the state had enjoyed peace, stability and investments had started accruing.
“What Anambra needs now more than anything is peace, we need peace for progress, we need peace for security, we need peace for the development that is coming and that has come.
“We do not need violence, we have had enough killings, thank God we have security in Anambra more than most states, we must ensure that is sustained.
“Most importantly our basic human right that is enshrined in the constitution that gives us the right to choose who governs us must not be denied us.
“We will be denying ourselves that if we fail to come out and vote and protect our votes.
“I am pleading that all leaders come out and tell their followers to ensure that they come out and vote come 18th of November.
“We must not stay at home on the 18th, we must exercise our civic rights,” she said.