By Our Correspondent
The management of the Anambra State Traffic Management Agency (ATMA) has suspended several of its officers for two months without pay after a video went viral showing them singing a campaign song in support of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
According to investigations by our correspondent, the management announced the suspension of the officers on Tuesday. The sanction followed the controversy generated by the viral video, which captured the officers singing the NDC campaign song to a motorist while deployed for traffic control duties at Nwagu Agulu Junction.
The officers were subsequently summoned to the agency’s headquarters in Awka to explain their conduct and the circumstances surrounding the incident. Their two-month suspension without pay is the outcome of the disciplinary process initiated by the agency. While the exact context of their action remains unclear, reports suggest the officers may have been prompted to sing after sighting an NDC logo inside the motorist’s vehicle.
The disciplinary action has reportedly thrown the affected officers into distress, with several expressing deep concern over their future with the agency. Some of the officers were reportedly seen weeping and seeking the intervention of influential personalities to plead for leniency from the authorities.
Meanwhile, relatives of the affected officers have appealed to public-spirited individuals for assistance, requesting help to secure alternative employment opportunities. They expressed concern that a two-month suspension without pay would severely worsen the economic situation of the officers and their dependents.
The incident has reignited public debate regarding the extent to which public officers can express political preferences, particularly while performing official duties. While public servants retain their constitutional rights as citizens, agency civil service regulations strictly prohibit partisan political activities—especially when conducted in uniform or during official working hours.
