The Anambra State Government has suspended several traffic officers for two months without pay following a viral video that showed them singing a campaign song for Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
According to family sources and individuals familiar with the matter, the officers now also face the looming threat of outright dismissal.
The management of the Anambra State Traffic Management Agency (ATMA), under which the officers serve, announced the suspension on Tuesday on behalf of the state government.
The disciplinary action follows a growing political divide in the state. Governor Chukwuma Soludo has already endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, appearing on campaign podiums for the president. Furthermore, the governor directed his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), to throw its full weight behind Tinubu—a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—causing internal polarization within APGA.
Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, maintains a historically complex relationship with Soludo. While Obi frequently refers to Soludo as “my brother” and has avoided direct confrontation with his successor, political tensions remain palpable in the home state of the opposition figure.
### Viral Video and Summary Sanctions
The controversy erupted after a video circulated online showing the traffic officers—who were deployed for duty at the Nwagu Agulu Junction—singing an NDC campaign tune to a passing motorist.
Sources suggest the officers may have been prompted to sing after noticing an NDC logo inside the motorist’s vehicle. However, the exact motivations behind their actions remain officially unverified.
Following the backlash, the officers were summoned to ATMA headquarters in Awka to explain their conduct. According to the affected personnel, no formal queries were issued, nor were they required to submit written statements. Instead, management handed down an immediate two-month suspension without pay.
Since the incident, the officers have been absent from their duty posts, throwing their households into severe financial and emotional distress. Family members report that some of the officers have broken down in tears and are frantically reaching out to influential figures to intercede on their behalf.
### Relatives Plead for Help
Relatives of the suspended officers have appealed to public-spirited individuals for assistance, expressing grave concern that the unpaid suspension could plunge the families into deeper economic hardship. They also fear it could ultimately pave the way for permanent termination.
The affected officers have questioned the legal and procedural basis of the punishment, noting that they were penalized without a query or written warning. They remain uncertain whether they technically breached ATMA’s operational regulations or if the heavy-handed response was politically motivated.
As of press time, ATMA management was unavailable for comment, and the Anambra State Government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident, which has dominated local social media discourse for days.
