THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State has announced its withdrawal from the upcoming local government elections scheduled for September 28, 2024, citing concerns over irregularities in the process.
The party, in a statement, disclosed that it would challenge the election in court due to alleged violations of due process by the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC).
According to the APC, the decision to boycott the polls started from what it described as the flawed constitution of ANSIEC and the improper announcement of the election date, which the party argues did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. “Participating in the election would amount to legalising illegality,” the party stated.
The motion for the APC to withdraw from the election was moved by key stakeholders, including Donatus Emecheta, and seconded by Ikunwata Obadike, during a meeting held at the party’s state headquarters in Awka.
State APC Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, explained that the party would not take part in an election that lacked fairness and transparency. He pointed to the absence of time for parties to conduct primaries or hold campaign rallies in line with the Electoral Act.
“How can a party like APC be involved in an election where political parties are not given enough time to conduct primaries to elect their candidates, no campaign rallies, no selling of forms by the Electoral Act?”
Ejidike further alleged that Governor Chukwuma Soludo had already set up a tribunal at the Anambra State High Court for political parties seeking to contest the election results, questioning the transparency of the process. “We are already in court to challenge the process because the APC, being the major opposition party in Anambra State, must try as much as possible to lead by example,” he added.
The APC Legal Adviser, Chukwunoso Chinweuba, also addressed the gathering, pointing out legal discrepancies in the electoral process. Chinweuba cited a conflict between Section 23(1) of the ANSIEC Law 2024, which allows a 30-day notice period, and Section 103(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates a 150-day notice period before elections.
In addition to the APC’s withdrawal, Ejidike commended the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party for also going to court over the alleged irregularities. “We applaud them for standing against this flawed process.”
The meeting also included a moment of silence in honour of the late Sen Ifeanyi Ubah, who represented the Anambra South Senatorial District. This development comes as the state faces a decade-long absence of local government elections, with the last poll held in 2014. Since then, caretaker transition committee chairmen, appointed by the governor, have managed the 21 Local Government Areas on a three-month rotational basis.
