The Anambra State All Progressives Congress (APC) has withdrawn from participating in the forthcoming local government election, scheduled for September 28, 2024, in the state.

The party also announced it is suing the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) and the Anambra State House of Assembly over what it described as irregularities in the conduct of the electoral process. They have asked the court to nullify the election if ANSIEC proceeds with the exercise.

They stressed that participating in the election would amount to “legalizing illegality” in Nigeria’s democratic setting.

The motion not to participate in the LG election was moved by Hon. Donatus Emecheta and seconded by Hon. Ikunwata Charles Obadike during the party’s stakeholders meeting held at the state headquarters, opposite the state government house, along the Enugu-Onitsha expressway in Awka, on Saturday.

The party argued that Section 23(1) of the ANSIEC Law 2024, as amended, which stipulates 30 days’ notice of the date of elections into LG in Anambra State, is null and void as it is inconsistent with Section 103(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which provides for 150 days’ notice of the election date.

They prayed the court to restrain ANSIEC from conducting any election in the 21 LGAs of the state based on Section 23(1) of the ANSIEC Law, as amended.

Speaking further on the election while addressing members, the State Chairman of the party, Chief Basil Ejidike, noted that the APC, under his leadership, will not be involved because “ANSIEC and the state governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, are not ready to conduct the exercise in a free, fair, and credible manner.”

According to him, “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 Law.”

“The governor has already set up a tribunal at the Anambra State High Court here in Awka for political parties that wish to challenge the outcome of the election.”

Governor Soludo is “not transparently prepared to give Ndi-Anambra an accountable local government system.”

“We are already in court to challenge the process because APC, being the major opposition party in Anambra State, must try as much as possible to live by example. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party have also gone to court to challenge the irregularities. We applaud them,” he stated.

Ejidike, while urging members to remain focused, announced that the party would soon commence a tour across the 21 local government areas as part of preparations for the 2025 governorship election in the state.

It was gathered that a minute of silence was also observed in honour of the late Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah during the meeting. (Nigerian Tribune)

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