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The All Progressives Congress in Anambra State has withdrawn from the upcoming local government elections, scheduled for 28th September 2024, citing concerns over irregularities.
The party announced this on Saturday, adding that it had decided to take legal action, challenging the election process in court.
According to the party, the decision followed alleged violations of due process, which they believe undermines the credibility of the poll.
The APC further explained that participating in the LG election would amount to “legalising illegality,” insisting that the constitution of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) and the announcement of the election date did not follow due process as stipulated by the Electoral Act 2022.
The motion to boycott the election was moved by APC stakeholders, including Donatus Emecheta, and seconded by Ikunwata Obadike, during the party’s stakeholders’ meeting held at the state headquarters in Awka on Saturday.
Addressing party members during the meeting, the State Chairman of the APC, Chief Basil Ejidike, noted that the APC, under his leadership, would not participate in the election because ANSIEC and the state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, were not prepared to conduct the exercise in a free, fair, and credible manner.
Ejidike stated, “How can a great party like APC be involved in an election where political parties are not given enough time to conduct primaries to elect their candidates, no campaign rallies, no selling of forms in accordance with the Electoral Act?”
He also claimed that Soludo had already set up a tribunal at the Anambra State High Court in Awka for political parties wishing to challenge the election’s outcome, suggesting that the governor was not transparently preparing to establish an accountable local government system.
“We are already in court to challenge the process because the APC, being the major opposition party in Anambra State, must try as much as possible to lead by example. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party have also gone to court to challenge the irregularities, and we applaud them.”
Ejidike further urged party members to remain focused, as the APC would soon begin a tour of the 21 local government areas in preparation for the 2025 governorship election in the state.
Also speaking, the APC Legal Adviser, Chukwunoso Chinweuba, said the party had already filed a case in the High Court, challenging the entire local government election process.
Chinweuba argued that the electoral process had been compromised by irregularities, citing Section 23(1) of the ANSIEC Law 2024, which provides for a 30-day notice period for the election, as inconsistent with Section 103(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires a 150-day notice period.
A minute’s silence was observed during the meeting in honour of the late Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
It is worth noting that over 10 years have passed since the last local government elections were held in Anambra State, the most recent taking place in 2014.
Since then, all 21 local government areas in the state have been managed by caretaker transition committee chairmen appointed by the governor every three months.
