Anambra LG Polls: LP Rejects Names of Candidates Published by ANSIEC

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka 

The Labour Party (LP) in Anambra State has raised the alarm over the publication of the names of members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as its candidates for the forthcoming local government elections.

The party at a press conference it addressed yesterday, said they neither sold nomination forms for the local government elections nor conducted any primary elections to nominate candidates.

The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Theo Egbe, who addressed journalists at the state party secretariat, said the elections, which are scheduled for September 28 is a mere sham.

He said: “They have conducted the elections in their rooms and are waiting to announce the results.”

A statement released by the party said: “Kindly take note of the previously confirmed position of Labour Party, Anambra State chapter that the illegally packaged and lawlessly commenced obnoxious LGA council elections being midwifed by the hastily conceived and ill-prepared ANSIEC by Anambra State Government is not worthy of our participation and this LP position remains irrevocably unchanged. 

“It is really very worrisome, criminally egregious and outlandishly absurd that Labour Party that sued the commission, never sold nomination forms nor conducted any primary elections, and never submitted its register not to mention submission of any list of candidates to ANSIEC, was dubiously published and held out to have ‘sponsored’ candidates for the farcical local government elections. 

“The Labour Party, Anambra State Chapter views this conduct of ANSIEC and Anambra State Government as a criminal assault on due process and a rape of the electoral laws of the land, as well as unwarranted provocation of the law-abiding members of Labour Party at large.”

The party said the names published as candidates of LP belonged to well-known APGA stalwarts, some of which are presently transition committee chairmen of local governments.

“A careful perusal of the commission’s list of these fangled Labour Party ‘candidates’ reveals that the names belong to known members of the defeated, Soludo faction of APGA, including the name of a current APGA Transition Chairman, (Orumba North LGA), Mr. Nwafor Chinonso Charlesmary Casmir and that of both past and current transition councillors of APGA extraction. 

“Labour Party family of Anambra State pledges to remain law-abiding, even in the face of these glaring absurdities, illegalities and crass provocations and diligently commit to the legal pursuit of dismantling the sham branded Anambra LGA council election via the law courts. 

“Labour Party still appeals to ANSIEC and the Anambra State Government to save Anambra State the enormous resources clearly billed for wastage by jettisoning this ignoble proposed LGA Council election of September 28, 2024, and rather opt for a properly organised Anambra State Local Government Council election.

“Anambra State has absolutely nothing to lose by rescheduling this unacceptable and inglorious proposed sham called LGA Council election for a lawful and legal one to be conducted in the nearest future. Rather the state has so much to gain for it,” the party said.