Ahead of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, the Federal Government has threatened to declare a state of emergency if the security situation in the state does not improve.
The Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents at the end of the virtual Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Minister said that government has the responsibility to sustain the democratic order and will do the needful in terms of ensuring that the election holds.
He, however, said that nobody should rule out any possibility including the declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
He said, “When our national security is attacked, and the sanctity of our constitutionally guaranteed democracy is threatened, no possibility is ruled out.
“As a government, we have a responsibility to ensure the sustenance of our democratic order. As a government, we have a responsibility to provide security to life and properties.
“So, within the context of these constitutional obligations, of the government or the desire to establish democratic norms and order, there is no possibility that is out ruled.
“The government will certainly do the needful in terms of ensuring that our elections are held in a Anambra in terms of ensuring necessary security is provided, and in terms of ensuring protection is accorded to lives and properties.
“So, what I’m saying in essence, no possibility is ruled out by government in terms of ensuring the sanctity of our democratic order, in terms of ensuring that our elections in Anambra holds, and you cannot out rule possibilities inclusive of the possibility of declaration or state of emergency where it is established, in essence, that there is a failure on the part of the state government to ensure the sanctity of security of lives, properties and democratic order.
“So, our position as a government is this elections are going to hold and necessary security in terms of democratic order most certainly prevail for the purpose of this election.
“So, we resolve to have these elections. The elections are going to hold and no possibilities are ruled out in terms of ensuring the provision of security, for the purpose of the conduct of the election, as well as Anambra is concerned.”