Anambra stakeholders call on Governor Soludo to conduct local government elections after 10-year hiatus

Stakeholders in Anambra State have collectively urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to promptly organize elections for local government councils in the state. The demand was voiced during a forum organized by the International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC) in collaboration with the African Centre for Leadership and Development.

This assembly of Anambra stakeholders, encompassing members from civil society organizations, political parties, religious and traditional institutions, the media, and others, emphasized that nearly a decade has passed since the last local government election was held in the state.

Dr. Henry Duru, a lecturer in the Mass Communication Department of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, delivered a lecture on “Strengthening accountability in governance and electoral process.” He highlighted the issue of Nigerian governors effectively controlling the local government system. Dr. Duru questioned the trend where political aspirants for higher offices prioritize promises of conducting council polls while neglecting such commitments at the national level.

Duru argued that conducting elections is a statutory obligation enshrined in the constitution, emphasizing that aspirants should not need to promise such actions. He critiqued the prolonged use of transition committees by governors to oversee council areas, asserting that they were initially intended as temporary measures until proper elections could be held.

Chris Azor, the Coordinator of IPCRC, and Mr. Itia Otabor, Director of the African Centre for Leadership and Development, clarified that the forum aimed to discuss strategies to encourage the Anambra State government to hold council polls. Otabor emphasized that the stakeholders were not appealing to the governor but reminding him of a statutory duty that has not been fulfilled.

In a communique, the stakeholders unanimously stressed the imperative for local government polls in Anambra State, echoing the sentiment that Governor Soludo should fulfill this statutory obligation.