By Okey Maduforo
There is a strong indication that Anambra local government and council elections slated for September 28th, 2024 may be rocked by litany of litigations and ultimate boycott of the process by most political parties in the area.
Confirming this fear is the position of the All Progressives Congress APC in the state who through its State Chairman Chief Basil Ejidike warned that the party would not legitimatize illegality by participating in the election.
According to Ejidike who spoke to reporters in Awka Anambra state;
“Our position is very simple; that the APC in Anambra state is prepared to participate in the local government election if a level playing ground is provided for all the political parties involved”
“If the government and ANSIEC continue to do what they are doing and maintain the way they’re going about the whole thing, the APC in Anambra state may be forced to seek other legitimate options, because obviously there is no way the APC can be part of the effort to legitimatize illegality. We cannot be part of that”, he said.
Similarly the Anambra State Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party Engr Theo Egbe had announced that the party would boycott the election on the account of what he described as the planned execution of a charade that is about to take place in September 28th this year.
Egbe further contended that the actions of the State House of Assembly and the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission ANSIEC is a pointer to the fact that the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA government has a well tailored plot to manipulate the process.
He noted that by what the state Electoral body is currently doing there is no confidence in the body’s credibility to conduct free and fair inter-party elections in the state, hence the Labour Party may boycott the election is the Electoral body continues in that guise.
The Anambra state chapter of the Inter Party Advisory Committee, IPAC had on Friday resolved to kick against the process, insisting that it is unacceptable to the political parties.
They warned that they would explore all legal and constitutional measures to ensure that the right thing is done, declaring that the wishe of Anambra electorates must be respected and their franchise must be duly considered.
