Members of the opposition party have condemned the hurried plan by the Prof Chukwuma Soludo-led government in Anambra State to conduct local government elections in the state.

The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) had last Monday announced that it has fixed September 28 for the conduct of local government election in the state.

This is coming just days after the commissioner was inaugurated.

Though there have been clamour for local government election in the state, opposition politicians are saying the rush by the commission was meant to ambush them, to give way for Soludo’s All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to take all the 21 local government areas.

A member of the House of Representative and chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, expressed concerns over the hasty amendment of the Anambra State Electoral Law by the state House of Assembly, and the scheduling of the election.

He described the move as a promotion of undemocratic tactics aimed at frustrating opposition parties in the state.

Ogene in a statement he signed and made available to journalists in Awka queried the speedy amendment of the law from 60 days’ notice to parties to prepare for the election to 30 days.

He said: “Governor Soludo and the state Assembly have perpetuated an undemocratic practice by utilising the democratic institution of the Assembly to handpick local government leaders.

“This anti-people approach excludes the majority who do not align with their authoritarian tendencies.

“The newly imposed 30-day notice period for local government elections will lead to widespread disenfranchisement at the grassroots level.

“Within this truncated timeframe, it will be nearly impossible for stakeholders to conduct meaningful consultations, organise primary elections, secure funding, and prepare for the election without government support.

“This is a disservice to the people and a mockery of our democracy. By frustrating the enthronement of true democracy at the grassroots level – the foundation of democratic governance – the government is mindlessly undermining the very essence of democratic practice,” he said.

Ogene said that it is laughable that after 10 years the last local government election was held, “Soludo wants to hoodwink the people of the state through a hurriedly clobbered council election process.”

He urged everyone to be vigilant and ensure participation in the upcoming elections to avoid the will of the people being hijacked. (THISDAY)

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