Stakeholders Task Soludo on Conduct of LG Election

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Stakeholders in Anambra State, consisting of civil society groups, leaders of political parties, community leaders, media and women’s groups, have called on Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, to quickly conduct local government election in the state.

They made the call during a one day engagement convened by Africa Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability in Governance and Electoral Process (STAGE), in collaboration with civil society groups.

The Director of Strategy (Centre LSD),  Itia Otabor, who spoke to journalists during the event said that “we are here to urge the governor to conduct of local government election in the state.

“Indication shows that most Anambra people desire the conduct of local government election, instead what we have is renewal of transition committee for local government leadership every three months. This is against the constitution, so we hope that the governor will do what is needful.

“There are statutory matters that have to be done to show that there is hope about the conduct of the election. The first is the constitution of the SIEC (State Independent Electoral Commission).

“The local government election is a promise made by the governor and it is now for us to make him accountable to us and we need the support of the media.

“We need to remind him of the things he promised. The governor does not need to come overnight and conduct it. He will first constitute the ANSIEC and he can relieve himself of the headache and send the names of the commission members, and they will begin to function.”

On his part, the coordinator, Anambra State Civil Society Network (ASCONET), Mr Chris Azor, said that the non-conduct of local government election in Anambra State is costing the state partnership with development partners.

Azor said: “The world is waiting for Anambra State to hold local government election, and development partners have assured that they are coming in once this is done.

“No matter how you want to embellish it, caretaker committee is not known to law. Local government system needs to have elected leaders.”

He said that it is unfortunate that workers in the state’s electoral commission were still collecting salaries and doing no work, insisting that it is not good governance to pay workers for doing nothing, when they could engage the workers towards the conduct of local government election.