The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State has officially pulled out of the upcoming local government elections set for September 28, 2024, citing widespread irregularities in the process.
Naija News reports that the party announced its decision on Saturday, revealing that it would challenge the election procedures in court.
According to the APC, their withdrawal stems from violations of due process, which they believe compromises the integrity of the election.
The APC clarified that taking part in the LG election would be equivalent to “legalizing illegality,” emphasizing that the formation of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) and the scheduling of the election did not adhere to the procedures outlined in the Electoral Act 2022.
The motion to boycott the election was proposed during a stakeholders’ meeting at the party’s state headquarters in Awka. Leading APC figures, including Donatus Emecheta and Ikunwata Obadike, endorsed the decision.
Speaking at the event, APC State Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, emphasized that the party would not partake in an election that lacked transparency and fairness.
He criticized the ANSIEC and Governor Chukwuma Soludo for not providing sufficient time for political parties to conduct primaries or campaign adequately in line with the Electoral Act.
Ejidike remarked, “How can a great 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 in accordance with the Electoral Act?”
He further alleged that Governor Soludo had preemptively established a tribunal to handle disputes over the election results, casting doubt on the governor’s commitment to organizing a credible local government administration.
“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.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party have also gone to court to challenge the irregularities, and we applaud them,” Ejidike stated.
The APC’s legal adviser, Chukwunoso Chinweuba, confirmed that the party had filed a case at the High Court, challenging the local government election’s legality.
He pointed out inconsistencies between the ANSIEC Law 2024, which gives a 30-day notice for elections, and the Electoral Act 2022, which requires a 150-day notice period.
The meeting also included a moment of silence in memory of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who had represented the Anambra South Senatorial District.
Notably, it has been over a decade since local government elections were last held in Anambra State, the most recent taking place in 2014.
Since then, caretaker transition committee chairmen, appointed every three months by the governor, have managed the state’s 21 local government areas.