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Tag: LG Elections

  • LG election: APGA aspirants ask for fresh primaries in Anambra

    LG election: APGA aspirants ask for fresh primaries in Anambra

    Some chairmanship aspirants of the All  Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra, has urged  Gov. Charles Soludo of the state, to call for fresh primaries for the area.

    The three aspirants — Mr Chukwuma Akajiobi, Mr Onyebuchi Obi and Promise Egbeji — made the plea on Thursday in Onitsha at a meeting. They alleged imposition of the incumbent Transition Chairman, Mr Emeka Orji as APGA chairmanship candidate for the Sept. 28 local government elections in the state at the primaries.

    Addressing the crowd at the meeting, APGA aspirant, Akajiobi, pleaded with Soludo to dismiss claims of conduct of primaries that purportedly brought out Orji as winner. He noted that there was no APGA primary, rather it was an alleged imposition of Orji.

    “Our governor is a product of democratic process. We plead that primaries be conducted for us in Onitsha South Local Government prior to the council poll. We commend the governor for his commitment in delivering democracy dividends through strategic infrastructural development to good people of Onitsha South,” he said.

    Another chairmanship aspirant, Obi, also alleged imposition, urging the stakeholders at the meeting not to relent in their support for democracy. He said that the nomination of Orji for the forth coming local government election was not democratic.

    In his contribution, Egbeji, who is also a chairmanship aspirant, explained that he had touched a lot of people in the local government through his foundation. Egbeji stressed that his aim for aspiring for Onitsha South Local Government Area chairmanship seat was to support the Anambra government by taking the message of “Solution Government” to the grassroots.

  • Labour Party threatens to boycott Anambra LG election

    Labour Party threatens to boycott Anambra LG election

    Labour Party (LP) Publicity Secretary in Anambra State, Mr Theo Egbe has said the party will not participate in the September 28 local government area election scheduled to hold in the State. Egbe said that the party would also challenge the electioneering process in court over alleged inability to abide by the electoral guidelines. Egbe said this in an interview in Awka on Thursday.

    “Labour Party will not play alongside the identified irregularities which is inability to follow provisions of the Electoral Act when conducting council polls. The state’s  template for the proposed election should be inline with  the Independent  National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines for conducting elections,” he said.

    Egbe said that areas in the amended act which regulated conduct and management of political parties, party disputes and collation, was worrisome and; these among others,  were  reasons why the party would  boycott the election. He urged the government to reschedule the election to meet with INEC election standards which entailed providing fair play-ground for all contestants.

    The LP scribe alleged that the party state office was sealed on Aug. 27 without prior notice or notice of offence committed by the party. Egbe alleged further that the party offices located at the Udoka Housing Estate in Awka were sealed off by suspected agents of the state government.

    He, however, appealed to LP members, supporters, sympathisers, stakeholders and Anambra people not to take laws into their hands. But the Special Adviser to  Gov. Charles Soludo on Political Matters, Dr Alex Obiogbolu, refuted the LP claims on sealing of the party offices.

    Obiogbolu said that the matter was a case between the state housing corporation and the landlord of the place, having nothing to do with the state government. He advised the party to excuse the state government and address its challenges instead of heaping blames on the state government.

  • LG election: Imo APC opts for consensus candidacy

    LG election: Imo APC opts for consensus candidacy

    Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo has said that the Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates of All the Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 21 Local Government Elections may emerge through consensus.

    Uzodimma said this on Tuesday while addressing aspirants and stakeholders at the party’s Secretariat in Owerri. He said that the decision to opt for consensus candidates was taken to promote unity and cohesion in the party as well as stability of politics in the state.

    He said: “Consensus will be conducted for the 27 chairmanship positions and the 305 ward councillors. The decision became imperative following the high number of interested candidates in the polls.

    “The number of aspirants today for councillorship is over 800, and over 200 for chairmanship. There are three ways of producing a candidate in the Constitution of APC – by direct primaries, indirect primaries and the third is by consensus.

    “We will look at the peculiarities of each LGA. Our first option will be consensus. Where it is difficult to arrive at a consensus, we will go into a contest, using either direct or indirect method to elect candidates,” he said.

    The Governor congratulated the party on its electoral victory at the Supreme Court, saying that the judgment had paved the way for the smooth conduct of the upcoming council elections.

    “Before now, it seems impossible because of the insecurity in various LGAs of the state,” he further said.

    The Governor, who reminded the party faithful that APC was one family in the state, urged them to make sacrifices for the victory of the party.

    “What I will consider this time is that cost of things are high. I will plead with the party to go into the contest with one spirit. Those who win, we will encourage them to work with those who didn’t win.

    “Those who didn’t win, because they are too many, and too much money is involved, we will do our best to refund your money,” he assured the aspirants.

    In a brief remark, the state Chairman of the party, Mr MacDonald Ebere, thanked the governor for his leadership role.

  • How Kano council elections will compromise LG autonomy – By Ikeddy Isiguzo

    How Kano council elections will compromise LG autonomy – By Ikeddy Isiguzo

    By Ikeddy Isiguzo

    NOBODY is talking about the damage that the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC, is about to unleash on Nigeria’s local governments, and the large politics of Nigeria with the nomination fees of N10m for chairmanship candidates and N5m for councillorship positions.

    Some would say that how Kano runs its local government elections is a issue for the State. Even if it is a local election, whatever happens in Kano would have a fundamental impact on our local government system.

    The election billed for 30 November 2024 would be the first since constitutional amendments awarded enormous autonomy to local governments. The ruling party in Kano is doing all it can to keep Kano firmly in its control such that the 2027 elections will be more predictable.

    Here is a glimpse of the picture.

    If three major parties – New Nigerians Peoples Party, NNPP, All Progressives Congress, APC,  Peoples Democratic Party, PDP – field candidates in all the 44 local government areas as chairmanship candidates, KANSIEC would make N1.32 billions. Kano State’s local government councils have 484 Councillors.

    Again, if we stick with only the same three major parties, having councillorship candidates for 484 positions, Kano’s ekection body would earn N7.26 billion from selling the local government election forms. If we add the funds raised from the chairmanship candidates it would be a total of N8.58 billion from selling pieces of paper.

    In June 2024 monthly allocation from FAAC, 14 States got less than N8 billion each, just to pit in perspectivevwhat KANSIEC could collect from selling forms.

    In supporting the high imposed on aspirants by KANEIC, NNPP’s State Chairman Hashimu Dungurawa said the elections were only for people of high quality and sense of reasoning who could afford the fees.

    “These fees would enhance effective management of Local Governments in the State and allowed for only credible persons to vie for the seats unlike what obtained with every Dick and Harry contested.” He hints at exclusion.

    Executive Chairman of KANSIEC, Prof Sani Lawan Malumfashi, said the decision on the N10m, N5m nomination forms was final. His reasons are simply dictatorial.

    “There is no going back on the amount earlier. We are not going to change or reduce it, there is no going back. It’s already in our guidelines and already a law to us.

    It is not about encouraging money politics, everything is not the way it is now. We are also going to spend huge amounts, the materials and everything we are going to use must cost money so we are going to bear the cost too,” he said.

    Prof Malumfashi chose further rambling to justify the heist the Commission is staging in Kano State, and on its peoples. Does it cross his mind for once that the 2024 local government elections in Kano are basically meant to exclude the many who cannot afford the fees?

    There are more dangers. Who will invest N10m or N5m in buying forms in elections that chances of successes are limited by the facts that the umpire would almost dance beyond the tunes the appointing authorities beat?

    “We said very clearly that the inflation rate in this country has affected virtually everything because nothing in the market is free now. Kano State is one state equal to three with 44 LGAs, 484 wards, 11,022 polling units, over six million voters and we are recruiting over 30,000 ad hoc staff,” he gave as more justifications for the fees that are unknown to elections in Nigeria.

    Is it possible that KANSIEC is a revenue generating body? Does the State Government not have a budget for the Commission?

    The Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, does not charge fees for forms which it hands out to political parties for their candidates? From where did KANEIC borrow this law? What is the intention of the hefty fees if not to squeeze the small parties out of the contest? Local government elections are meant to reflect the pluralities of mass societies that are easily masked by pretences to oneness, false unity, and tendencies to truncate the will of others, no matter how minor they seem.

    What KANSIEC is doing on behalf of the State Government is very deep. It want to make nonsense of local government autonomy by excluding other parties from participation in the election. If it cannot achieve that fully, it would minimise their numbers to ensure that NNPP gains a clear majority that achieves two things in a swoop – return local government allocations to the State purses, and plant a firm feet on the race to the 2027 elections. The tenure of those to be elected in November will cover the 2027 elections. Kano’s 44 got N10.9 billion from FAAC in June 2024,  a huge amount that should tempt most State Governments.

    The 2027 tussle serves the winner more than a paltry N10.9 billions monthly.

    Malumfashi, a professor of Sociology of Bayero University, Kano, penned this piece on 21 August 2022 in The Nigerian Tracker: “The educated are the ones to defend, advance and promote education. Because they pursue education they know its values the most. It is therefore unthinkable to expect uneducated to come to the aid of education, no don’t even expect that. Between literacy and illiteracy are two historic enemies, so are between literates and the illiterates. While the former are living the later are dead. So mind not the dead!

    “The illiterates can’t and will not for they have the eyes but can’t see, the brain but can’t reason, the heart but can’t beat and the body but can’t feel. They assume that the head God gave you is mainly for fetching water, carrying loads and drawing woods oblivious of the fact that deep inside the head there exists brain.

    “Brain itself feeds on knowledge and knowledge is oftenly applied to recreate and transform man and his environment.” He was encouraging Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to not give up on its strike.

    It behooves Nigerians who see the dangers the primed local government elections in Kano pose to local government autonomy, to seek judicial intervention to restore inclusiveness in the race.

    Let us use the “knowledge” that Malumfashi has provided to “recreate and transform man and his environment” in Kano and other States where Governors will imitate Kano’s pace.

    Finally…

    NIGERIANS are buying kerosine at N2,400 per litre. The biggest users of kerosine are those termed ordinary Nigerians who are most hit by the economic pressures. Why is there no subsidy on kerosine? We seem to forget that as kerosine becomes more expensive, the alternative would be our fragile forests. High price of kerosine would result in more deforestation as we go for more firewood. The consequence are more expensive.

    THE week has a pending tension as the police interrogate Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, on weighty allegations of treason, felony, terrorism financing, cybercrime, and subversion. Police had warned last week, when it served Ajaero a one-day notice to appear before investigators that Ajaero risked arrest if he didn’t come. Ajaero’s lawyer Femi Falana stated in a letter that his client would be available on Wednesday due to prior appointments. He also said Ajaero needed details of the allegations to prepare his defence.

    Isiguzo is a major commentator on minor issues

  • Amid bickering Bauchi Gov swears in 20 newly elected LG Chairmen

    Amid bickering Bauchi Gov swears in 20 newly elected LG Chairmen

    Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State on Sunday swore in the newly elected Chairmen of the State’s 20 Local Governments.

    Mohammed, in a speech at the ceremony, congratulated them for emerging victorious in the election held on Saturday.

    “My administration believes that the people should have a say in local government administration through the election of the leaders.

    “This has become even more necessary with the autonomy the Supreme Court recently granted the councils to run their affairs.

    “It is for this reason that our party, the PDP, nominated and presented knowledgeable, experienced and competent candidates to vie for the chairmanships and councillorship seats,

    “With the victory of our candidates, I’m confident that we will have the desired leadership to effectively administer our local governments as autonomous third tier of government,” he said

    Mohammed called on the elected chairmen to cooperate with the state government so that all could work together to serve the people.

    Mr Mahmood Baba-Maji, the Chairman of Bauchi Local Government, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, promised to justify the trust the electorate bestowed on them.

    “We will serve diligently; we assure you that policies and programmes of the state government will be replicated in our various local governments,” he said.

    Chief Judge of the State, Justice Rabi Umar, administered the oath of allegiance and office to the 20 officials.

    APC kicks over outcome of Bauchi LG election

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the outcome of the local government election conducted in Bauchi State on Saturday.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won all the 20 chairmanship seats in the local government election.

    Alhaji Muhammad Hassan, APC Chairman in Bauchi at a news briefing on Saturday, described the election as a “broad-day robbery of franchise and murder of democracy”.

    Hassan cited numerous alleged irregularities, including inadequate election materials, withheld sensitive materials and result sheets and votes allocation to the ruling PDP. Others were the alleged absence of returning officers and the abandonment of election materials at the polling units.

    “There were also instances of ballot box snatching, massive thumb printing of ballot papers for PDP and votes allocation to PDP candidates across all the local governments,” the APC Chairman alleged.

    The Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC), however, insisted that the polls were free and fair.

    Mr Ahmed Makama, BASIEC Chairman, who announced the results, said the election was conducted peacefully across the State.

    “For the chairmanship election, PDP won all the 20 seats as declared at the local government levels. And for the Councillors, the results were declared in the wards with other parties emerging victorious,” Makama said

    The BASIEC Chairman further said that the commission would issue the winners with their certificates of return on Sunday.

    The local government election was conducted following the recent judgement of the Supreme Court, which affirmed local government’s autonomy.

    The judgement is seeking the Federation Account Allocation Committee to withhold funds meant for LGs without democratically elected officials.

    Bauchi constitutes LG election petition tribunals

    Earlier, the Bauchi State High Court had constituted three petition tribunals and an appeal panel, to treat cases envisaged to arise from the August 17 local government election.

    Hajiya Fatima Abubakar, Chief Registrar of Bauchi State High Court stated at a news conference that the State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Umar had sworn in the chairmen and members of the petition tribunals as well as the appeal panel on August 12.

    Abubakar disclosed that the action was in tandem with the provisions of the Bauchi State Electoral Law, 2008, which empowered the Chief Judge to carry out the task.

    “Provision of the Section 60 Sub Section 2 of the Law, said an aggrieved party has 21 days within which to file his/her petition from the date of the declaration of the result.

    “For the appeal, dissatisfied parties has 14 days from the decision of the tribunal within which to file an appeal,” she said.

    According to Abubakar, the tribunal will commence sitting on August 19, adding that the court would have three centres at Bauchi, Ningi and Azare “with the time frame of two months for the tribunal and one month for the appeal”.

    She said the tribunals would be headed by Magistrate Garba Kundak for Bauchi North Senatorial Zone; Magistrate Isma’il Adam, Bauchi Central Senatorial Zone and Magistrate Safiya Salihu, Bauchi South Senatorial, while the appeal panel would be headed by Justice Mohammed Sambo.

    TNG reports members of the tribunal and the appeal panel have been charged to work with the fear of God and ensure quick disposition of matters before them.

  • APC kicks over outcome of Bauchi LG election

    APC kicks over outcome of Bauchi LG election

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the outcome of the local government election conducted in Bauchi State on Saturday.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won all the 20 chairmanship seats in the local government election.

    Alhaji Muhammad Hassan, APC Chairman in Bauchi at a news briefing on Saturday, described the election as a “broad-day robbery of franchise and murder of democracy”.

    Hassan cited numerous alleged irregularities, including inadequate election materials, withheld sensitive materials and result sheets and votes allocation to the ruling PDP. Others were the alleged absence of returning officers and the abandonment of election materials at the polling units.

    “There were also instances of ballot box snatching, massive thumb printing of ballot papers for PDP and votes allocation to PDP candidates across all the local governments,” the APC Chairman alleged.

    The Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC), however, insisted that the polls were free and fair.

    Mr Ahmed Makama, BASIEC Chairman, who announced the results, said the election was conducted peacefully across the State.

    “For the chairmanship election, PDP won all the 20 seats as declared at the local government levels. And for the Councillors, the results were declared in the wards with other parties emerging victorious,” Makama said

    The BASIEC Chairman further said that the commission would issue the winners with their certificates of return on Sunday.

    The local government election was conducted following the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, which affirmed local government’s autonomy,

    The judgement is seeking the Federation Account Allocation Committee to withhold funds meant for LGs without democratically elected officials.

    Bauchi constitutes LG election petition tribunals

    Earlier, the Bauchi State High Court had constituted three petition tribunals and an appeal panel, to treat cases envisaged to arise from the August 17 local government election.

    Hajiya Fatima Abubakar, Chief Registrar of Bauchi State High Court stated at a news conference that the State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Umar had sworn in the chairmen and members of the petition tribunals as well as the appeal panel on August 12.

    Abubakar disclosed that the action was in tandem with the provisions of the Bauchi State Electoral Law, 2008, which empowered the Chief Judge to carry out the task.

    “Provision of the Section 60 Sub Section 2 of the Law, said an aggrieved party has 21 days within which to file his/her petition from the date of the declaration of the result.

    “For the appeal, dissatisfied parties has 14 days from the decision of the tribunal within which to file an appeal,” she said.

    According to Abubakar, the tribunal will commence sitting on August 19, adding that the court would have three centres at Bauchi, Ningi and Azare “with the time frame of two months for the tribunal and one month for the appeal”.

    She said the tribunals would be headed by Magistrate Garba Kundak for Bauchi North Senatorial Zone; Magistrate Isma’il Adam, Bauchi Central Senatorial Zone and Magistrate Safiya Salihu, Bauchi South Senatorial, while the appeal panel would be headed by Justice Mohammed Sambo.

    TNG reports members of the tribunal and the appeal panel have been charged to work with the fear of God and ensure quick disposition of matters before them.

  • PDP claims all 20 LGAs in Bauchi state council polls

    PDP claims all 20 LGAs in Bauchi state council polls

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has emerged victorious in all 20 local government areas in the elections held on Saturday, August 17, in Bauchi State.

    The results were announced by Alhaji Ahmed Makama, the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC), on Saturday night.

    Prior to the election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) expressed concerns about potential manipulation of the results by the ruling PDP and BASIEC.

    The APC is expected to contest the results. The newly elected Chairmen are set to be sworn in on Sunday, August 18.

    Full List of Winners:

    1. Akaleri LGA
      • Hassan Garba Bajama (Chairman)
      • Abbas Ibrahim (Deputy Chairman)
    2. Bauchi
      • Mahmood Baba Maji (Chairman)
      • Adamu Mu’azu Luda (Deputy Chairman)
    3. Bogoro
      • Lawi Yakubu Sumi (Chairman)
      • Markus Masoyi Mulki (Deputy Chairman)
    4. Dambam
      • Yakubu Garba Tela (Chairman)
      • Iliya Isah (Deputy Chairman)
    5. Darazo
      • Sama’ila Ya’u Sade (Chairman)
      • Amina Musa (Deputy Chairman)
    6. Dass
      • Muhammad Abubakar Jibo (Chairman)
      • Isah Abdulmumini Hanakuka (Deputy Chairman)
    7. Gamawa
      • Madaki Ahmed Gololo (Chairman)
      • Umar Yakubu (Deputy Chairman)
    8. Ganjuwa
      • Mohammed Idris Miya (Chairman)
      • Saleh Ahmed (Deputy Chairman)
    9. Giade
      • Usman Muhammad Saleh (Chairman)
      • Bahijja Auwalu (Deputy Chairman)
    10. Itas Gadau
      • Hajara Jibrin Gidado (Chairman)
      • Shuaibu Ahmad (Deputy Chairman)
    11. Jama’are
      • Inuwa Abdullahi (Chairman)
      • Saleh Muhammad (Deputy Chairman)
    12. Katagum
      • Yusuf Babayo Zaki (Chairman)
      • Misbahu Ibrahim (Deputy Chairman)
    13. Kirfi
      • Abdulkadir Umar Dewu (Chairman)
      • Mohammed Mohammed Bashir (Deputy Chairman)
    14. Misau
      • Salisu Hussaini (Chairman)
      • Moh’d Garba (Deputy Chairman)
    15. Ningi
      • Nasiru Zakarai (Chairman)
      • Isah Mohammad (Deputy Chairman)
    16. Shira
      • Abdullahi Ibrahim Beli (Chairman)
      • Adamu Usman (Deputy Chairman)
    17. Tafawa Balewa
      • Sama’ila Wakili Lere (Chairman)
      • Maigari Ahmed (Deputy Chairman)
    18. Toro
      • Pharm. Ibrahim Abubakar Dembo (Chairman)
      • Adamu Umar Danyaro (Deputy Chairman)
    19. Warji
      • Aminu Barmini (Chairman)
      • Habib Idris Usman (Deputy Chairman)
    20. Zaki
      • Adamu Yakubu (Chairman)
      • Ibrahim (Deputy Chairman)
  • Low voter turnout mars Bauchi LG poll

    Low voter turnout mars Bauchi LG poll

    Low voters turnout characterised the local government election held in Bauchi State on Saturday.

    Correspondents, who monitored the exercise in Bauchi, Dass and Tafawa Balewa LGAs report that voting  commenced in most polling centres at about 11:00 am, due to the late arrival of election officials and materials.

    Voting commenced late at Junior Secondary School Gwallameji; Kofar Sarkin-Gwalameji, Sa’adu Zungur Comprehensive Secondary School, and GSS Baba-Sidi polling units amid voter apathy.

    The voters were queueing orderly and peacefully as election officials and materials arrived the venue, to facilitate smooth conduct of the exercise in most centres visited.

    It was observed that there was adequate deployment of security personnel at the centres while most of the residents were going about their normal businesses.

    A group of election monitors expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the exercise in the areas visited.

    Mr Mamman Eri, the Lead Observer, commended the voters, polling clerks and security agents for the smooth conduct of the exercise.

    Eri, who is also the Chairman, Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), led other States’ Electoral Commissioners in motoring the exercise.

    “We have gone round some polling units, the election was peaceful, people conduct themselves and the agents of political parties present at the polling units  is commendable,” Eri said.

  • Bauchi constitutes LG election petition tribunals

    Bauchi constitutes LG election petition tribunals

    The Bauchi State High Court has constituted three petition tribunals and an appeal panel, to treat cases on the Aug. 17 local government councils election.

    Recall the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission had fixed August 17 for election into the 20 local government councils of the State.

    Hajiya Fatima Abubakar, Chief Registrar, Bauchi State High Court stated this at a news conference on Friday in Bauchi.

    She said the State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Umar had sworn in the chairmen and members of the petition tribunals as well as the appeal panel on Aug. 12.

    Abubakar said the action was in tandem with the provisions of the Bauchi State Electoral Law, 2008, which empowered the Chief Judge to carry out the task.

    “Provision of the Section 60 Sub Section 2 of the Law, said an aggrieved party has 21 days within which to file his/her petition from the date of the declaration of the result.

    “For the appeal, dissatisfied parties has 14 days from the decision of the tribunal within which to file an appeal,” she said.

    According to Abubakar, the tribunal will commence sitting on Aug. 19, adding that the court would have three centres at Bauchi, Ningi and Azare.

    “With the time frame of two months for the tribunal and one month for the appeal”.

    She said the tribunals would be headed by Magistrate Garba Kundak for Bauchi North Senatorial Zone; Magistrate Isma’il Adam, Bauchi Central Senatorial Zone and Magistrate Safiya Salihu, Bauchi South Senatorial.

    While the appeal panel would be headed by Justice Mohammed Sambo.

    The statement quoted the Chief Judge, as charging members of the tribunal and the appeal panel to work with the fear of God and ensure quick disposition of matters before them.

  • LG election will hold in Anambra as scheduled – ANSIEC

    LG election will hold in Anambra as scheduled – ANSIEC

    The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) says the September 28 Local Government Council chairmen and ward councilors elections will hold as scheduled.

    Mrs Genevieve Osakwe, ANSIEC Chairman said this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Awka on Thursday.

    Osakwe called on political parties in the state to commence canvassing for votes while assuring that the exercise would be free, fair and credible.

    The meeting was for Chairmen and Secretaries of political parties, traditional rulers, president generals of communities, clergy and security agencies.

    Only All Progressives Grand Alliance and Action Alliance parties were present at the meeting.

    Osakwe said the electoral body had considered the security situation in various parts of the state.

    She assured the political parties that elections would hold in all the 326 electoral wards.

    Osakwe added  that results would be collated, counted and announced from all the electoral wards.

    On allegation of pre-written election results, she said the commission’s duty was to conduct elections, while urging political parties to ensure that they field candidates and ensure the electorate voted.

    “This election must go on and will be in accordance with the law, we are going to hold election in every area of the state and announce result from those places, we are aware of issues in some areas and we have considered them.

    “Boycott will not be for the benefit of Anambra, political parties should go and canvass for votes because this exercise will be free, fair and credible

    “We are not aware of any suit, I am a lawyer, so I cannot respond to what we are not aware of,’’ she said.

    Osakwe used the opportunity to formally release the  timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the Anambra Local Government Council elections which was made public on Aug. 14.

    In a remark, Mr Nobert Okoli, Chairman of Action Alliance, noted that Anambra had waited for the Local Government Election for over a decade.

    Okoli, however, expressed concern over the sudden announcement and speed of the schedule.

    He also wondered why only two political parties were present at the stakeholders’ meeting.

    Okoli said: “What is worth doing, is worth doing well, how come other political parties are not here. I am here because I was directly invited, what happened to others?

    On his part, Mr Augustine Aniegbuna, President General of Umunankwo community in Ogbaru, said the election was for the good of the people of Anambra.

    Aniegbuna called on for the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure the success of the exercise in spite of the imperfections.

    He expressed worry over the insecurity in some communities and called on ANSIEC to address the challenge to ensure it did not affect the election.

    Mr Chukwuka Ezewuzie, Anambra Disability Rights Commission Chairman, urged all the stakeholders to give equal opportunities to people living with disabilities during the exercise.

    Mr Chigozie Igwe, Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, told NAN that he did not attend the meeting because he was not invited.

    “We are the major stakeholders in the election process who should be the first to know but as I am talking to you, all what we have heard about on this election is through the media,” he said.