Ozigbo’s Cheap Opportunism In Anambra Security Discourse

CHRISTIAN ABURIME

It has become characteristically despicable of some politicians who have nothing to offer to join the fray of any negative conversation about Anambra State. As bad news naturally travels faster and sells cheaper, desperate naysayers are always eager to latch on to any straw of negativity to run down the government. Sadly, such a resort to cheap opportunism and vacuous attacks has become the stock-in-trade for political opponents of Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR.

Leading the pack of notoriety for cheap opportunism is Labour Party aspirant, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, who is so desperate to become governor that the only path he knows to get there is through malicious condemnations rather than articulating solutions. Over time, he has acquired the mastery of hypocritical wailing, always crying more than the bereaved and pretending to care about public interests. He has now become a fellow traveler to misguided religious leaders who are unfatherly pontificating on security matters.

Without a doubt, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo’s recent commentary on Anambra’s security situation exemplifies the kind of selective outrage that undermines constructive dialogue about public security. While indeed there are security breaches and every security incident deserves attention, his jaundiced narrative demands scrutiny for its glaring innuendos and political undertones. Ozigbo alleged that “criminals operated freely” in Anambra, “killing and kidnapping at will” during the last festive season. Really?

Was Ozigbo aware that, despite a few security threats, Ndi Anambra successfully and peacefully hosted many social events across the state during Christmas and New Year celebrations? Did he not also hear that just recently, Anambra State demonstrated its capacity to host high-profile events safely when Dr. A.B.C. Orjiako celebrated his daughter’s traditional wedding in Uli? The well-attended ceremony proceeded without incident, reflecting that the state’s insecurity narrative is being sensationalised just to help the likes of Mr. Ozigbo to score undeserved political points.

Also, Mr. Ozigbo’s assertion that the state government stands aloof and indifferent in the face of ‘insecurity’ is particularly misleading, given recent developments. Has he somehow ignored the import of the imminent launch of special “Operation Udo Ga Chi” (Peace Shall Reign) to intensify stop-and-search surveillance? Is he unaware of the ongoing training of forest guards specifically targeted at curbing kidnapping incidents? Perhaps most tellingly, has he overlooked the government’s pragmatic approach through its amnesty programme, offering redemption paths to those willing to abandon criminal activities?

Still, while Anambra, like many states, faces security challenges, context matters. The state’s security situation can not be viewed in isolation from broader regional and national challenges. When we consider, for instance, the emergence of dreaded Lakurawa terrorists in the North, the violent cultist activities in Ogun State or a recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) crime report that rates the Southeast region lowest in crime for 2024 nationally, it becomes clear that simplistic political point-scoring does little to address these complex issues.

The role of opposition in a democracy is to offer constructive criticism and viable alternatives, not to weaponise every challenge for political gain. If Mr. Ozigbo has concrete solutions to propose, the people of Anambra would welcome them. However, if his intention is merely to capitalise on security concerns for political mileage, perhaps his silence would better serve our collective interests.

By and large, governance, especially in matters of security, requires a delicate balance between acknowledgment of challenges and implementation of solutions, especially in a federalism like ours where central security control powers are not vested in state governments. Yet, Governor Soludo’s administration has demonstrated a mature understanding through its multi-faceted approach to security. Rather than engaging in inflammatory rhetoric, those truly concerned about Anambra’s welfare, including politicians and religious leaders, might better serve the state by supporting and enhancing the ongoing security efforts being put in place by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to make Anambra Safe for all.