The Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba, has said that a report in the public domain that people are leaving the state in large numbers is false.
Recall that reports had emerged ahead of today’s Anambra governorship election that some people are leaving the state.
Adinuba said a large number of people, especially qualified voters, are pouring into Anambra to participate in today’s governorship election, opening in just a few hours.
The commissioner made the claim in a press statement, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday morning in Awka.
According to him, the attention of the Anambra government was drawn to a sensational news item claiming that people are leaving Anambra on account of political violence.
Adinuba refuted the report, saying that Anambra people aren’t expressing fears of any possible political violence before and during the vote.
He said that the report is utterly false and disinformation, saying, “Our people are very conscious of their roots, and so usually register to vote in the state even when they live and work elsewhere,” he said.
Adinuba said that many people who work in towns and cities in Anambra usually register in their home communities and with the declaration of Thursday and Friday as work-free days for state employees, many people have travelled to their various places to vote.
He said that a lot of people have in the last 24 hours been leaving cities and towns for their home communities where they have influence and choose to vote.
“It is, therefore, wrong for any news medium to claim that Anambra people are leaving the state in droves for fear of political violence.
“If the journalist who wrote the report claiming an exodus had bothered to seek clarification or explanation of the new development, he wouldn’t have written the sensational report.
“It is surprising that a journalist could file such a report without checking with the government, despite the well-known, open-door policy of this administration towards the media,” Adinuba said.
He, however, urged all Anambra people to disregard ill-planned reports and come out early to cast their votes for their preferred candidate.
