Why Buhari Ordered Free Polls in Anambra: Presidency Military Sources Tells Igbo Mandate Congress

 

Sources within the Presidency have once more told Igbo Mandate Congress IMC that President Buhari deliberately ordered for free polls in Anambra State, and warned Service Chiefs not to allow any politician, even from the ruling party or opposition undermine the credibility of the elections.

 

Speaking with the Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress IMC at Awka on Sunday, after he elections, key Presidency and military sources adduced three reasons for the transparency of the Anambra Pols despite the presence of over fifty thousand security personnel drawn from the Military, Police, DSS and Civil Defense Corps, The summary of the revelations were that:

 

(1) Buhari is as comfortable with APGA’s  Senator Chukwuma Soludo winning the elections as he is with APC’s Senator Andy Uba, therefore a win for either of them is a win for the ruling APC.

(2). Buhari sees Governor Willie Obiano as an exceptional leader, whose management of crisis had held Anamra State together despite the agitations of secessionists.

 

(3) Security Reports especially from the Military High Command from the time of  Abayomi Olonisaki and  Tukur Buratai s Army and Defense and Army Chiefs respectively, until the current change of guard, has always portrayed Governor Obiano as fearless, proactive and believer in national unity.

 

4. Buhari had already given his word to Governor Obiano on the 7^th of October that there will be no manipulations of polls, and once he give his word, it is final.

 

Igbo Mandate Congress IMC had exclusively reassured Anambra people in a Press Release of November 4^th 48 hrs to the polls titled ‘Buhari has Ordered Free Polls in Anambra State, Presidency, Military Sources Tells Igbo Mandate Congress’

Excerpts of the reassurance statement read thus:

“Igbo Mandate Congress IMC has been informed by multiple security forces from the Defense Headquarters, DMI,DIA, DSS and links within the presidency that there is no plan to rig the Anambra Gubernatorial Elections.

“Igbo Mandate Congress, always known for credible intelligence, was reliably informed that President Buhari had already told Governor Obiano on the 7^th of October that there will not be any form of rigging in Anambra State the manner he ensured free polls in 2017. The President, according to reliable sources believes that if Anambra people believes in Professor Soludo beyond the candidate of his party,he will not stand on their way. Whichever way, Buhari is as comfortable with a Soludo Governorship just as he is comfortable with an Andy Uba Governorship. The sources informed the Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress, Rev Obinna Akukwe, and other members of the Executive in Abuja on Thursday, that there is nothing to fear in terms of voter manipulations.

 

“President Buhari, according to other military sources, has already charged the Service Chiefs on October 21^st to ensure that elections are free and fair. The military sources told Igbo Mandate Congress that the heavy presence of security personnel in Anambra State is to ensure that IPOB and non state actors do not take over the elections space.

 

“Buhari has also expressed belief that anybody trying to rig elections on the behalf of any preferred candidate purportedly from him will be disgraced and abandoned by him”.

 

The result of the Anambra election where prof Chukwuma Soludo won in 18 of the 20 local councils declared so far, with only one outstanding, to the detriment of the ruling party, despite the heavy military presence, is a testament to the veracity of the November 4^th intelligence from the Presidency, DIA,, DSS,DMI obtained by the group.

 

Igbo Mandate Congress had also reported in a release  four years ago, on the October 9^th 2017, titled ‘Anambra Polls, Buhari to Give Obiano Soft Landings as Igbo Mandate Congress Calls for Fair Polls’ that

 

 “Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is disposed to giving Willie Obiano Soft Landings in the upcoming November 18^th gubernatorial polls in the state” and the military sources told IMC that Buhari developed soft spot for Governor Obiano after hearing about his efforts to bring peace to the state. Exactly a month later, the Anambra election became the most transparent and Governor Obiano defeated the candidate of the ruling party, Tony Nwoye, despite the heavy presence of security agencies, who failed to deploy on the behalf of any candidate.

 

Meanwhile some chieftains of APC have accused Igbo Mandate Congress of sabotaging the electoral plans of the party by revealing to politicians and party agents that the heavy presence of security personnel is not for rigging purposes and that Buhari will deal with anybody purportedly rigging elections on the behalf of his party.

 

Igbo Mandate Congress have denied the allegations, and insisted that it circulated the information that Buhari has given a ‘No Riggig Order’ in Anambra  to party agents to engender confidence and convince their supporters to come out and exercise their franchise despite the intimidating presence of security agents., and not to undermine the activities of any political party.