From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Anambra State All Progressives Congress (APC), said it will not participate in the forthcoming local government election, scheduled for September 28th, 2024 in the state.
The party however has dragged the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) and Anambra State House of Assembly to court over what they described as irregularities in the conduct of the electoral process.
The party stressed that participating in the election would amount to legalizing illegality in Nigeria democratic setting and asked the court to nullify the election if ANSIEC goes ahead to conduct the illegal exercise.
In a motion not to participate in the LG’s election was moved by Hon Donatus Emecheta and seconded by Hon Ikunwata Charles Obadike during the party’s stakeholders meeting held at the state headquarters, party said the ANSIEC should follow the electoral law and procedures of election.
The party argued that the section 23(1) of the ANSIEC law 2024 as amended which stipulates 30 days notice of the date of election into LG on Anambra state is null and void, as it is inconsistent with section 103 (3) of the electoral act 2022 which provides 150 days notice of election date.
They prayed the court to restrain ANSIEC from conducting any election into 21 LGAs in the state on basis of section 23 (1) of ANSIEC law as amended.
Addressing members, the State Chairman of the party, Chief Basil Ejidike, noted that the APC under his able leadership will not partake in the council election because the ANSIEC and the state governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo are not ready to conduct the exercise in free, fair and credible manner.
According to him, “how can a great party like APC will participate in an election where political parties are not giving enough time to conduct primaries to elect their candidates, no campaign rallies, no selling of forms in accordance to the electoral Law.
“The governor has already setup a tribunal at the Anambra State High Court, here in Awka for political parties that wish to challenged the outcome of the election, even before the election because he has already written result and perfected plan to declare his candidates winners of the election.
“Governor Soludo is not transparently prepared to give Ndi-Anambra an acceptable local government system.
“We are already in the Court to challenged the process, because APC as major opposition party in Anambra State must try as much as possible to live by example.The PDP and the Labour Party have also gone to Court to challenged the irregularities and we applaud them” he stated.
Ejidike while urging members to remain focus, announced that the party will soon commence tour across the 21 local government areas, as part of preparation for the 2025 governorship election in the state
The party also observed a minute silent in honour of late Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah during the meeting and prayed God to accept his soul.
