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Soludo moves to conduct LG election in Anambra
The Governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Soludo, has finally bowed to the public outcry by making a move to conduct local government council election in the state.
This followed a bill for a law to establish the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission and for connected purposes 2024 which has passed through second reading at the floor of the state Assembly.
The Executive bill, which was presented before the House by the majority leader, Mr Ikenna Ofodeme, will enable the executive arm of government to conduct local government election in the state when passed into law.
According to Ofodeme, the bill which has about 110 clauses, will no doubt assist the state to address the interest of both the government and those who are not in government.
There have been public calls on the need for the administration of Governor Soludo to conduct local government election as promised during his inaugural speech on March 17, 2022.
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Leading the debate for the consideration of the bill for second reading, Ofodeme said the governor had shown that he was 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.
Supporting the motion, Mr Patrick Okafor representing Onitsha North 2 noted that with the clauses in the bill, the governor had shown that he was poised to provide dividends of democracy to the grassroots through a democratically elected government which the people have been yearning for.
The member representing Ogbaru constituency 1, Mr Noble Igwe noted that the law makers had been working on the bill for the past six months to ensure that the Commission is empowered properly to conduct a credible local government election in the state.
Nkechi Ogbuefi representing Anaocha Constituency 1 and Mr Emmanuel Nwafor representing Orumba South Constituency said with the bill, the governor was keeping to his words to conduct local government elections withing two years into office and empower those at the grassroots.
The Member representing Nnewi North constituency, Mr Augustine Ike, and Mr Patrick Udeoba representing Anambra West Constituency, observed that the bill when passed would be a model for the conduct of local government elections not just for the state but for the country at large as it tried to capture parts of the 2022 Electoral Act.
Mr Obi Nweke representing Anambra East Constituency and his Aguata Constituency 1 counterpart, Mr Anayo Okpalaeke, while describing the bill as timely, noted that it was an indication that the government was ready to do the needful in the best interest of the people at the grassroots.
The Speaker of the House, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze, who presided over the plenary, said the lawmakers would not hesitate to support the executive arm in its zeal to deliver the promises made to the people.
He then called on members to kindly go through the bill before the final reading and passage.