Anambra LG Polls: APGA Accuses Soludo of Plans to Disenfranchise Njoku-led Party

• LP heads to court over amended state electoral laws 

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka 

The Edozie Njoku-led faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has accused the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of plans to disenfranchise the party in the forthcoming local government elections.

This accusation is coming at a time when the opposition Labour Party in the state criticised the rush by the Soludo-led government to hold the elections, threatening that it would go to court.

The National Administrative Secretary of APGA, Okoro Chinedum Benedict, who was in Anambra at the weekend, said thugs had been hounding the state and national officers of the party at meetings scheduled for the party leadership for the preparation of the council polls.

The party said any attempt to stop APGA from participating in the election would be vehemently resisted as it did throughout five years to regain power in the party.

While briefing journalists, Okoro said: “Chief Edozie Njoku, mandated this delegation of the National Working Committee (NWC) to inform you of his continued support and confidence in this special Committee led by APGA National Secretary, Alhaji Muhyideen Imam. 

“On August 7, 2024, our party wrote to ANSIEC notifying them that the INEC, in total obedience to the two courts of Appeal judgments has recognised Chief Edozie Njoku and other executives elected at the Owerri Convention of May 31, 2019, as the authentic and rightful executives of APGA. 

“The party introduced Hon. Chief Ikechukwu Hillary Ejesieme as Acting Chairman of APGA Anambra State and Hon. Sams Mogbo as acting secretary as the appropriate representatives of APGA in Anambra State and requested that ANSIEC acknowledges them in official communications and relations regarding the LG polls.”

The party said it was a surprise to them that despite acknowledging the letter, officials of the party have been denied access to meeting venues for the planning of the forthcoming council polls.

“It has become obvious to even the blind that despite the olive branch and reconciliatory overtures by the Chief Edozie Njoku-led APGA NWC, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has continued to engage in morbid machinations to diminish APGA just to stop the party under Chief Njoku from fielding candidate in the forthcoming LGA elections in Anambra State. 

Meanwhile, the Anambra State chapter of Labour Party (LP) has rejected the proposed local government election in the state, scheduled for September 28, saying it will head to court to contest what it called the hurried amendment of the state electoral laws by the house of assembly on the prompting of the state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo.

The party’s State working committee during a press conference at the party secretariat said: “The trending matter of the moment as we all know is the proposed forthcoming Anambra State local government elections. 

“As much as the State House of Assembly did not make any budgetary provisions for the proposed Council Election, we are shocked and at a loss as to the speed of amendments upon amendment of the state electoral law even extending into the wee hours of night.

“The governor is under intense pressure to conduct the LGA election before October 2024 or lose the monthly local government fund allocations to a holding account as ruled by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”

The party said after a careful study of the amended electoral law they have resolved to go to court.

“We will approach the court to challenge some of the obnoxious clauses in the hastily amended laws. We as a party are getting prepared to participate in the election once the right and lawful things are done and without prejudice to the outcome of the judicial proceedings pending before the court.”