Anambra State government has reacted to a sensational news item claiming that people are leaving Anambra State in droves on account of political violence. The report claims that Anambra people are expressing the fear that with the gubernatorial election of November 6 there could be a rise in political violence.

This report, according to a statement by C. Don Adinuba, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, is utterly false. “People are not leaving Anambra for other states for any reason. The true situation is that a considerable number of people have been coming into the state from different parts of the country to vote. Our people are very conscious of their roots, and so usually register to vote in the state even when they live and work elsewhere.”

Adinuba continued: “Many people who work in towns and cities in Anambra State frequently register in their home communities. With the declaration of yesterday and today as work-free days for state employees to enable as many people as possible to travel to their various places to vote, a lot of people have in the last 24 hours or so been leaving cities and towns for their home communities where they have influence.

“It is, therefore, wrong for any news medium to claim that our people are leaving the state in droves for fear of political violence. If the journalist who wrote the report claiming an exodus had bothered to seek a clarification or explanation of the new development, he would not have written the sensational report. It is surprising that that any journalist could file such a report without hearing from the government, despite the well- known open door policy of this administration towards the media.

“It is worth emphasizing that despite the politically motivated violence of the last one month or so, Anambra remains Nigeria’s safest state. Whereas violence in some other states is endemic, that of Anambra State is election-related. Once the election is over, it will become a thing of the past. Even with the election yet to hold, there is practically no political violence in the state right now.  Anambra State is peaceful and calm. This is one major reason why more and more people are expressing the desire to exercise their franchise by voting for the best candidate in the gubernatorial election.

God bless Anambra State, the Light of the Nation.”