Anambra State Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo yesterday stated that the state has overcome the Monday sit-at-home ordeal.
Speaking on a national television programme, the governor said those still observing it do so out of personal choice rather than fear.
Soludo also said he would not like to be drawn into today’s planned protest in Abuja for the release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The governor said he was preoccupied by next month’s governorship election in which he is seeking re-election.
“You’re not going to drag me or get me distracted from that focus,” he said in response to a question by the anchor of the programme.
Commenting on the Monday sit-at-home, Soludo said: “I’ve made it very clear. If you are protesting or agitating for anything and you are holding yourself down by staying at home, you are killing your own people under the pretext of the Monday sit-at-home.”
The governor recalled that IPOB itself had publicly disowned the sit-at-home order, attributing its enforcement to criminal elements.
“Even Nnamdi Kanu himself and IPOB, at least on record through press releases, said they did not support the Monday sit-at-home. It was some criminal elements doing that. And we thank them for their work. That’s true. The Monday sit-at-home is likely over here. Anybody sitting at home now is doing so out of his own preference, not because of insecurity,” Soludo added.
Acknowledging the right of Nigerians to peaceful protest, the governor reiterated that his priority is ensuring peace and economic progress of Anambra State.
“As for those who are agitating or going to have demonstrations or whatever, they have a right to do so. In a democracy, everybody has freedom of expression. You have your freedom of expression in the way you do so,” he said.
The governor recalled that he had called for dialogue on Kanu’s matter after assuming office, but maintained that his current focus is on how to fulfill his promises to his people.
“I discussed the issue of release of Nnamdi Kanu several months upon assumption of office and even on the day the Ohanaeze Ndigbo had their Imeobi meeting, I said we needed to have a conversation,” he said.
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