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The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has finally bowed to pressure and has began moves to conduct local government elections in the state in the coming months.
A bill for a law to establish the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission and for connected purposes, 2024, which was sent to the State Assembly by the governor passed through second reading on Tuesday.
The executive bill, which was presented before the House by the Majority Leader, Mr Ikenna Ofodeme, will enable and empower the state government to conduct local government elections when passed into law.
Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission ANSIEC, has not been in place since 12 years.
Read Also: Anambra Ranks Lowest In Out-Of-School Children – Soludo
There have been public outcry over the non-conduct of local government elections by the governor.
According to a lawmaker, Mr Ofodeme, who presented the bill, the proposed legislation which has about 110 clauses will no doubt assist the state to address the interests of both the government and those that are not in government.
He said the governor has shown that he is willing to conduct a free and fair local government election in the state by sending in the electoral bill to the State House of Assembly.
The Speaker of the House, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze, who presided over the plenary, said the lawmakers will not hesitate to do the needful to support the executive arm in its zeal to deliver the promises made to the people even as he called on members to go through the bill before the final reading and passage.
Recall that a frontline Labor Party governorship aspirant in the 2025 Anambra State, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo had last week charged Governor Soludo to conduct a proper local government election and save the people from suffering.
Ozigbo who made the call while reacting to a recent order of an Abuja court restraining the Accountant General of the Federation and the Federal Minister of Finance from further remitting funds due to the 21 Local Government Areas of the State to the Soludo-led State Government, noted that the corruption-laden use of appointed Caretaker Committees to manage the affairs of Local Governments has been consistently deemed illegal.
