Pupils ambush Akunyili, demand amenities

Details: Category: Politics; Published on Tuesday, 15 March 2011 09:36; Written by Punch; Hits: 1621

Pupils of the Central School, Union Primary School and the Community Secondary School, all in Amanuke in Awka North Local Government Area on Monday took over the campaign rally of Prof. Dora Akunyili, as they demanded that government should provide their community with roads, electricity and potable water.

"Am I supposed to know her? I stopped caring about who occupies what position a long time ago. They are all the same." Akunyili, the immediate past Minister of Information and Communications, is contesting the Senate seat of Anambra Central in the April elections.

The pupils, who had thought that the Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, would be at the rally also carried placards, which stated their frustration.

They also demanded that their schools be provided with teachers, laboratory facilities, school bands and the rehabilitation of their classrooms.

A spokesman for the CSS moved the crowd when he said they had only 10 teachers in a school with 600 students.

The pupils, however, promised to urge their parents to vote for Akunyili, only if she could give them a firm promise that their demands would be met.

It was a similar situation at Urum, a neighbouring community, where Akunyili had also gone to solicit votes.

Though the senatorial candidate promised to provide the schools with bands, she made excuses for the APGA-led state government, for the lack of roads, electricity and water in the communities.

She said though the governor was one of the best in Nigeria, he was just one man, who needed the support of everyone to get development everywhere.

She promised to support the governor to bring development to Amanuke and Urum, if elected.

The APGA candidate urged the people to resist people, who will want to rig the election. She blamed election rigging for the state of underdevelopment in Nigeria.