The Labour Party (LP) said the kidnap and assassination of Hon. Justice Azuka, a lawmaker in Anambra State, shows that the State Governor, Dr Chukwuma Soludo has lost the will to enforce law and sanity in the state.
The national leadership of the Labour Party stated this while reacting to the assassination of Azuka, a lawmaker representing Onitsha 1 North Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, on the Labour Party platform.
The lawmaker was abducted on Tuesday, December 24, 2024 by gunmen while returning home on Ugwunaobankpa Road in Inland Town, Onitsha.
However, his decomposing body was found around the 2nd Niger Bridge on Wednesday.
Reacting to the discovery of the Azuka’s corpse, national publicity secretary of Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, said under Soludo’s watch, Anambra has become a war state where life has suddenly become nasty, brutish and short.
He added that the present leadership has completely lost the will-power to enforce law and sanity.
The party spokesman also said the Labour Party candidate in the last governorship election in Anambra State, Obiora Agbasimelo was recently abducted while campaigning and that his whereabouts remains unknown.
Ifoh said, “We are presently traumatized by this death and that of other deaths that have become a daily occurrence in Anambra State, a state that is gradually assuming a hobbesian status under the administration of Prof. Charles Soludo. Anambra has fully assumed the state of war, where life has suddenly become nasty, brutish and short because the present leadership has completely lost the will-power to enforce law and sanity.
“We are pained because not long ago, the Labour Party candidate in the last governorship election in Anambra State, Obiora Agbasimelo was abducted while campaigning and as we speak, his whereabout is still unknown. Neither the security agencies nor the government could account for his disappearance and his family is left traumatized.”
Ifoh said the whole essence of a government is to provide security and well-being for the people; that constitutional provision is lacking in Anambra State at present.
He added that it is unbelievable and unspeakable that a personality as high as a legislator could be abducted for over a month and the government was incapable of rescuing him.
“Though, information has it that the police has made arrests of some suspects, we are however calling for a proper and deeper investigation to unravel the real culprits. We are not by anyway suggesting political motive.
“That would be left for the security agencies to determine, however, we are not unmindful of the circumstances that led to his regaining his mandate after a court ruling ousted the previous winner, from another party who was initially declared the winner of the 2023 election.
“We are therefore calling on all our party members in Anambra State to maintain peace and allow the security agencies to diligently carry out their duties. We also encourage them not to be dampened by this unfortunate incident but rather remain focused on the activities ahead.
“On behalf of the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, National Executive Committee and the state executive committee, we pray that the Almighty God will grant the deceased eternal rest. We also condole the immediate family and pray that God will grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” he said.
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