By Okey Maduforo Awka .
An air of uncertainty is currently hovering around the planned conduct of the local government area election in Anambra state slated to hold this coming Saturday.
Though the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC )through its Chairman Mrs Genevieve Osakwe had earlier told reporters that the election would hold as planned , recent feelers have it that most front line political parties in the state are set to pull out of the race due to what they described as lack of confidence in the electoral body .
The trio of the Chairmen of Nigeria Democratic Congress ( NDC) Chief Ikem Uzoezie declined comment as well as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Sen Emma Anosike and the Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) but their body language indicates that they are not fielding candidates for the election contending that it is an APGA affair.
“How do you expect my party to go into an election that we already know what the outcome would be ?”
“This is an APGA affair and you all know what happened during the last local government election where APGA totally hijacked the process and results were written at the offices of the Council Chairmen who are also contesting the said election” one of the party Chairman” said .
But Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA) Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye dismissed the claims of his fellow party Chairman insisting that their respective parties are not on ground adding that they do not have the capacity to go into the election.
“It is clear that they are not ready to go for the election and they do not have that capacity and to the allegations that it is an APGA affair, I challenge them to show proof because the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission ( ANSIEC) published it’s time table for the conduct of primary elections and the election proper which they accepted, so why are they trying to blame APGA for their electoral woos” he contended.
Similarly it is being rumoured that the 56 Councilors that filed a Suit against the election are alleged to have obtained a Court Order restraining the electoral body from holding the election.
When contacted, non of the 56 Councilors offered to speak on the grounds that it amounts to subjudice for them to comment on a matter pending at the Court .
However, they told reporters that they should hold on and watch what they called the unfolding drama before the Saturday election.
“We do not want to talk about it because the matter is in Court and that amounts to subjudice but all that we can tell you all is to watch and enjoy the unfolding drama and what becomes of the fate of that election before this Saturday”
“Whatever they do ,be it known to you that that election will not stand if they eventually hold the election which I don’t see them succeeding” one of the Councillors said.
When contacted the ANSIEC Chairman Mrs Genevieve Osakwe could not be reached while several calls to her were never returned .
At the Headquarters of the Commission, non of the staff of the Commission was on hand to speak while the Chairman was said not to be on seat .
