Uncertainty has continued to trail the likely conduct of the Anambra state
local government election fixed for December 21. The council poll had become
due in May 2003, but has remained enmeshed in controversy after another.
In a stakeholders meeting at the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission
secretariat Awka yesterday , the issue of voters register which the commission
is yet to collect from INEC became became topical andtook a greater part of the
meeting, without resolution.
ANSIEC Acting Chairman , Hon Sylvester Okonkwo told the stakeholders that he
has sent a delegation to the INEC chairman Prof Attairu Jega to collect the
authentic voters register . But that clear word has not come.
As the meeting progressed , it became apparent that the delegate sent to Abuja
would not return on time with their findings from Abuja.
The Anambra state chairman of the People’s Democratic Party Ken Emeakayi in his
reaction said he still has implicit confidence in the Anambra. State
Independent Electoral Commission . He however stressed the need to hold the
stakeholders in confidence if there is anything troubling the commission in its
bid to conduct the election
Also the state chairman of Labour Party, Chief Sam Oraegbunam accused the
commission(ANSIEC) of unrealistic preparation process for the council election.
He listed what he described as glaring signs of the non- readiness of the
commission to include failure to recruit or train adhoc staff, an acceptable
voters’ register and inability to tell the stakeholders the whole truth about
the authority’s intensions on the election.
