Politics

ANSIEC Releases Final List Of Candidates For Anambra LG Election

The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) has unveiled the final list of eligible candidates in preparation for the Local Government Council chairmen and ward councillors elections scheduled for September 28.

During the announcement at the Commission’s headquarters in Awka, ANSIEC Chairperson, Genevieve Osakwe, encouraged the candidates to commence their campaign activities.

She stated that the list is now accessible for public inspection.

Osakwe also invited the public to visit the ANSIEC headquarters or any of the 21 local government areas to confirm the candidates running for various positions.

“We encourage electorate to actively participate by voting for their preferred candidates on election day.

“And I want to assure Anambra residents that the election will be conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner,” she said.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State announced last week that it had pulled out of the upcoming local government elections set for September 28, 2024, citing widespread irregularities in the process.

Naija News reports that the party announced its decision on Saturday, revealing that it would challenge the election procedures in court.

According to the APC, their withdrawal stems from violations of due process, which they believe compromises the integrity of the election.

The APC clarified that taking part in the LG election would be equivalent to “legalizing illegality,” emphasizing that the formation of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) and the scheduling of the election did not adhere to the procedures outlined in the Electoral Act 2022.

The motion to boycott the election was proposed during a stakeholders’ meeting at the party’s state headquarters in Awka. Leading APC figures, including Donatus Emecheta and Ikunwata Obadike, endorsed the decision.

Speaking at the event, APC State Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, emphasized that the party would not partake in an election that lacked transparency and fairness.

He criticized the ANSIEC and Governor Chukwuma Soludo for not providing sufficient time for political parties to conduct primaries or campaign adequately in line with the Electoral Act.

Ejidike remarked, “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 further alleged that Governor Soludo had preemptively established a tribunal to handle disputes over the election results, casting doubt on the governor’s commitment to organizing a credible local government administration.