SEGGOP URGES OTHER SOUTH EAST GOVERNORS TO SUPPORT SOLUDO IN CHECKING THE ACTIVITIES OF EKPA KILLER SQUAD
The South East Good Governance Project, SEGGOP, a regional Civil Society platform aimed at promoting good governance and participatory democracy in the South-East has urged the other South East Governors to support Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, in his patriotic effort to check the Ekpa Killer Squad, that has been violently enforcing Monday’s Sit-at-home across the South-East.
This is contained in a communiqué issued after their zoom meeting on Monday which was signed by Mazị Ikechukwu Bismarck Oji, MNSE – Convener, SEGGOP/ Executive Director, Centre for the Advancement of Literary and Leadership (CALL) – Enugu, Pastor Nwokocha Anozie Innocent – Initiative for Ideal And Emancipatory Leadership In Nigeria (IDEAL-NIGERIA), Abia, Prof Mercy Anagbogu, Executive Director, Women Action Committee – Anambra, Dr Okezie Kelechi – NEW Foundation- Ebonyi and Comrade Marjorie Ezihe – Coordinator, Imo Peoples Action For Democracy (IPAD) – Imo
The communiqué reads:
“PREAMBLE : The South East Good Governance Project (SEGGOP) is a regional Civil Society platform platforms aimed at the promotion of Good Governance in the South-East region through the presentation of periodic Good Governance Scorecards for the five South-East states.
It was formed in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, as a sequel to the South East Covid Report, a regional platform that facilitated a coordinated regional response to the pandemic, having as members Commissioners of Health and Information as well as the Police Public Relations Officer from each of the five states.
After due deliberations and considerations, arising from a zoom meeting involving members of the Civil Society from different South-East states, we resolved as follows:
1, *Electoral Advocacy: Elections are the only democratic means of electing credible candidates to ensure the provision of Good Governance and because the 2023 General Elections are around the corner and as well taking cognizance of the huge amount of work needed to be done to properly educate, sensitive and mobilize the people of the South East region for active participation in the election, SEGGOP shall step down advocacy on her agreed Thematic Areas such as Infrastructure, Education and Human Capital Development, Health/Environment/Water/Sanitation (WASH), Commerce and Industrialization, Rule of Law/Due Process /Local Government Autonomy and focus her advocacy wholly on Election Advocacy.
i. Continuous Voters Registration: We urge all and sundry to actively support the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in the various states, to ensure the success of the fourth quarter of the Continuous Voters Registration exercise which shall end in June.
ii. Issue-Based and Violence Free Campaigns: We urge all stakeholders in the Electoral process such as INEC, the political parties, aspirants, security agencies, etc to promote issue-based and violence free campaigns in the region. Remembering the words of Former President Goodluck Jonathan, “My ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian”, our politicians should eschew violence and violent rhetorics. Rather, they should dwell on Good Governance by unveiling their manifesto to the populace.
iii. Citizens Sensitization/ Voters Education : We shall embark on aggressive education and sensitization of the citizens through media advocacy with our media partners.
We shall also organize Townhall meetings and debates to provide ample opportunity for interrogation of aspirants/ candidates and their manifestos.
- Security: Based on the overriding importance of security to every human endeavour, including the Electoral process itself, we shall continue with our regional Security scorecard. Indeed, we have to be alive and have our security guaranteed to actively participate in the Electoral Process.
I, Monday Sit-at-home : We commend and support Prof Chukwuma Soludo, the Anambra State Governor for the steps he has taken to address the issue of insecurity, especially the Monday Sit-at-home in Anambra and the entire region because of the ongoing insecurity and criminal enforcement of the Sit-At-Home was a cross border crime.
While commending the Joint Body of South East Council of Traditional Rulers and Representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops for their ongoing collaboration with the Anambra State Government, we urge the Governments of the four other states to do the NEEDFUL by closing ranks with Soludo to check the activities of the Ekpa Killer Squad responsible for the violent enforcement of the Monday Sit-at-home.
II, Report on the Monday Sit-at-home from the States
i. Abia : It was partially observed but no fatalities were recorded
ii. Anambra : It was observed but no fatalities were recorded.
iii. Ebonyi : Compliance was very low and there was no fatality recorded.
iv. Enugu : There was high compliance and two fatalities and the burning of a Toyota Sienna commercial car
v. There was high compliance but no fatalities
Signed :
- Mazị Ikechukwu Bismarck Oji, MNSE – Convener, SEGGOP/ Executive Director, Centre for the Advancement of Literary and Leadership (CALL) – Enugu
2, Pastor Nwokocha Anozie Innocent – Initiative for Ideal And Emancipatory Leadership In Nigeria (IDEAL-NIGERIA), Abia
3, Prof Mercy Anagbogu, Executive Director, Women Action Committee – Anambra
4, Dr Okezie Kelechi – NEW Foundation- Ebonyi
5, Comrade Marjorie Ezihe – Coordinator, Imo Peoples Action
for Democracy (IPAD) – Imo
