Under significant pressure from political opponents and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Anambra State Governor Professor Chukwuma Soludo has taken steps to conduct local government elections in the state.
Governor Soludo has sent an executive bill to the state House of Assembly to reestablish the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), whose staff have been inactive for several years. The bill, which has passed its second reading, was presented by the majority leader, Ikenna Ofodeme, and aims to empower the executive branch to hold local government elections.
According to Ofodeme, the bill, which contains around 110 clauses, is designed to address the interests of both the government and the general public. He emphasized that Governor Soludo is committed to conducting free and fair local government elections, as promised in his inaugural address on March 17, 2022. Despite this commitment, the elections have not been held during the first two years of his administration.
Supporting the motion, Mr. Patrick Okafor, representing Onitsha North 2, noted that the bill demonstrates the governor’s intention to deliver democratic benefits to the grassroots. Mr. Noble Igwe, representing Ogbaru Constituency 1, highlighted that the lawmakers have been diligently working on the bill for six months to ensure ANSIEC is properly empowered to conduct credible elections.
Further backing the bill, Lady Nkechi Ogbuefi from Anaocha Constituency 1 and Emmanuel Nwafor from Orumba South Constituency commended the governor for his dedication to fulfilling his promise of conducting local government elections.
Many lawmakers observed that the bill, once passed, could serve as a model for local government elections across Nigeria, incorporating elements of the 2022 Electoral Act.
Speaker of the House, Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, who presided over the plenary, assured that the legislators are committed to supporting the executive’s efforts to fulfill its promises to the people. He urged the legislators to thoroughly review the bill before its final reading and passage.
