Anambra LG Poll: Stakeholders Square Up to Soludo Over Sept 28 Date

More than 10 years after the last local government election was held in Anambra State, Governor Charles Soludo is set to break the jinx, but other political stakeholders are querying the mad rush to conduct the poll by September 28, 2024. David-Chyddy Eleke reports.

After a long wait of over 10 years after the last local government elections were conducted in January, 2014, Anambra state is set for the exercise again. A notice signed by the State Chief Electoral Officer, Genevieve Osakwe, Esq, which was circulated among newsmen on Monday revealed that the election will be held on September 28, 2024. This means that political parties have a little above one month to prepare for the contest

The notice by Osakwe read: “Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission wishes to inform all registered Political Parties and the general public that Local Government Elections in the State will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2024. Election Timetable/Schedule of Activities and other details can be collected from the Headquarters of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, Awka, from Wednesday, 14th August, 2024”.

There have been several cries over the years about the non-conduct of local government election in the state. Soludo during the 2021 governorship election had leveraged this to woo the people, with a promise to conduct the election within six months if elected. However, after his election, two years down the line, the election remained a mirage until recently when he sent an executive bill to the state house of assembly for the constitution of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC).

Severally, many top government functionaries while defending the delay in the conduct of the election had argued that Soludo is taking his time to get the house of assembly to pass concrete laws that will ensure that ANSIEC was truly independent, and also give the people confidence about the processes they set out to conduct.

During one of his press conferences, National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Sly Ezeokenwa told reporters in his office in Awka that the kind of elections being conducted by many state independent electoral commissions lacked credibility as it was more of winner-takes-it-all kind of elections, where the political party of the governor in charge of the state simply sweeps the seats. He assured that such was not the kind of SIEC Soludo was putting together as he was taking his time with laws that will fortify the commission and make it truly independent.

Last week, after the state assembly ratified the appointment of members of the commission, Soludo swore them into office, charging them to go forward and ensure they give Anambra people a credible election. Soludo while performing the task said: “The rest of the job is in your hands. People of Anambra are expecting you to hit the ground running. When you are done, announce to the people when you’ll hold elections. I’ve done my job. Ndị Anambra, here comes your ANSIEC Commissioners,” the Governor added.

Barely a week after Soludo performed this exercise, the commission has announced the date for the election, causing members of the opposition political parties to express discontentment about what they call Soludo’s plan to ambush them. Others have also accused Soludo of slaughtering credibility on the altar of speed.

A member of the opposition and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, who represents Ogbaru Federal Constituency on the platform of Labour Party (LP) has expressed concerns over the hasty amendment of the Anambra State Electoral Law by the State House of Assembly and scheduling of elections. He described the move as a promotion of undemocratic tactics aimed at frustrating opposition parties in the state.

Ogene in a statement he released in Awka, the state capital on Tuesday criticised the swift amendment of the state’s Electoral Law, calling it an unholy manoeuvre to stifle the interest of the grassroots in producing credible leadership at the local government levels as envisioned by both the constitution and the recent pronouncement by the Supreme Court, which granted financial autonomy to the LGAs for the purpose of sustainable developments at the local areas.

Ogene said: “Governor Soludo and the State Assembly have perpetuated an undemocratic practice by utilizing the democratic institution of the Assembly to handpick local government leaders. This anti-people approach excludes the majority who do not align with their authoritarian tendencies. The newly imposed 30-day notice period for local government elections will lead to widespread disenfranchisement at the grassroots level. Within this truncated timeframe, it will be nearly impossible for stakeholders to conduct meaningful consultations, organize primary elections, secure funding, and prepare for the election without government support.

“This is a disservice to the people and a mockery of our democracy. By frustrating the enthronement of true democracy at the grassroots level – the foundation of democratic governance – the government is mindlessly undermining the very essence of democratic practice.

Indeed, it is ludicrous that 10 years after the last local government in Anambra state – and two and half years since he mounted the saddle – Governor Soludo and his recently appointed ANSIEC would seek to hoodwink the people of the state through a hurriedly clobbered council election process. We urge all advocates of democracy to remain vigilant and engaged in the upcoming Anambra  local government and state elections, ensuring that the people’s will is not subverted by the state government’s deceitful tactics under  Soludo’s leadership.”

On his part, an indigene of the state, Mr Tony Okafor, queried the reason for the rush to conduct an election that had not been conducted for over 10 years in the state. He warned against sacrificing the need for a credible election of the altar of wanting to hastily conduct one, just to see himself as a jinx breaker.

“Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s announcement, via the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), to conduct local government elections on September 28, is a commendable step towards democratic governance and decentralization of power.

“However, the rushed timeline and internal party conflicts raise concerns about fairness and credibility. Giving opposition parties barely a month to prepare is a form of rigging, that can disenfranchise many and undermine the process. This short notice, coupled with the absence of a comprehensive town hall meeting with stakeholders, may not provide sufficient time for adequate preparation, robust campaigning, and thorough voter education, thereby potentially compromising the integrity of the electoral process.

“We urge Governor Soludo to reconsider the timeline and ensure that ANSIEC demonstrates impartiality and transparency in the electoral process. While Governor Soludo’s initiative to conduct local government elections is commendable, the rushed timeline and internal party conflicts threaten to undermine the credibility of the electoral process. If the September 28 timeline remains sacrosanct, the fundamental integrity and legitimacy of the local government elections will be severely compromised, rendering the entire exercise essentially meaningless. We urge Governor Soludo to reconsider the timeline and ensure a level playing field for all political parties. Only then can we guarantee free, fair, and credible elections that truly reflect the will of the people,” Okafor said.