By Okey Maduforo Awka.
Thirteen political parties that make up the Anambra Inter Party Advisory Council IPAC have resolved to participate in the September 28th local government area in the state.
Recall that the political parties had opposed the September 28th date for the election contending that the time frame is too short and that the amendments of the Anambra State Law by the state Assembly was a plot to disenfranchise the electorates.
Speaking shortly after the meeting of IPAC the Chairman of the body Com Uche Ugwuoji stated that;
“In furtherance of deepening democracy in Nigeria especially at the grassroots level and local government areas of Anambra state, the Inter Party Advisory Council IPAC In Anambra State being the umbrella body of all political parties in Anambra state rising from its extraordinary meeting today the 24th of August 2024, hereby resolve as follows”
“That in order to further bring governance closer to the people and for the people at that level to participate in governance as the Constitution prescribed participatory democracy ”
“That IPAC under which all registered political parties in Anambra state being resolved today to fully participate in the local government election as scheduled by the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission ANSIEC to hold on the 28th of September 2024 according to the Anambra state Electoral Laws”
“That ANSIEC has promised a very credible, fair and transparent election during the stakeholders meeting convened by the body ”
Continuing Ugwuoji said for his party the Zenith Labor Party ZLP which he is the Chairman has agreed to participate in the said election.
Reacting to the litigation filed by the All Progressives Congress APC in Anambra state, he noted that ;
“IPAC is a body of it’s own and if the APC says that they are going to Court , honestly it did not come to the table of IPAC and we are not aware of it and possibly they are on their own”
Ugwuoji further explained that ;
“One of the key points is that IPAC begged for the extension of time but from the letter we got from the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission ANSIEC they stayed that the election is time barred and that the election must hold on. the 28th of September this year as stated”
Also speaking the state Chairman of Accord Party Hon Bartholomew Igwedibia contended that the non conduct of local government election in Anambra state is to the disadvantage of the people at the grassroot adding that should that be done Anambra state local government areas would suffer as the allocations to the twenty one local government areas would not be released to them while salaries and entitlements of workers would not be paid.
Same where the positions of other political parties Chairmen which includes Hon Uzochukwu Eminent of Allied People’s Movement APM, Com Patrick Obiano of African Democratic Congress ADC and the other nine political parties in the state.
The parties have already commenced the sale of nomination forms to aspirants of their respective parties and primary elections would commence this coming week.
When contacted the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC Chief Basil Ejidike noted that the position of IPAC as a body is not automatically binding on his party adding that the APC has the constitutional rights to go to Court to challenge any form of illegality which it has discovered in the process of holding the local government election.
