By Praise Chinecherem
The Labour Party (LP) in Anambra State has described the September 28 Local Government election as a sham and waste of resources.
The party which had earlier distanced itself from the exercise, also described the conduct of both the government and the State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) as criminal assault on due process and rape of the Electoral Laws.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, state publicity secretary, Engr. Theo Egbe advised the government to save the State the enormous resources billed for wastage by jettisoning the election.
He said the government should rather opt for a properly organized local government election by a well prepared, ready and properly equipped electoral umpire.
The party also raised the alarm over the publication of the names of members of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as its candidates for the election.
It said it neither sold forms for the election, nor did it conduct any primary elections to nominate candidates.
The statement reads in part, “Take note of the previously confirmed position of Labour Party, Anambra State Chapter that the illegally packaged and lawlessly commenced obnoxious LGA Council election being midwifed by the hastily conceived and ill prepared ANSIEC by Anambra State Government is not worthy of our participation and this LP position remains irrevocably unchanged.
“This our unchanging position that LP is not participating in the charade has officially been conveyed to ANSIEC and the entire Anambrarians were unmistakably and unequivocally put on the same notice too. Our suit No A/265/2024; LABOUR PARTY VS ANAMBRA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY & ANOR has been duly served on the commission and is still pending in Court.
“Our official letter to ANSIEC and copied to the Anambra State Commissioner of police, Anambra State Director of DSS and other relevant bodies, dated 9″ September, 2024, Labour Party remained unequivocal about our total lack of faith, trust and confidence in both ANSIEC and the shabby illegal process they adopted, for being at complete variance with due process and the Electoral Act, 2022.
“It is really very worrisome, criminally egregious and outlandishly absurd that Labour Party that sued the commission, never sold nomination forms nor conducted any primary elections, and never submitted its register not to mention submission of any list of candidates to ANSIEC, was dubiously published and held out to have ‘sponsored’ candidates for the farcical Local Government Election.
“A careful perusal of the commission’s list of these fangled Labour Party “candidates” reveals that the names belong to known members of the defeated, soludo faction of APGA, including the name of a current APGA Transition Chairman, (Orumba North LGA) Mr. Nwafor Chinonso Charlesmary Casmir and that of both past and current Transition Councilors of APGA extraction.
“The Labour Party, Anambra State Chapter views this conduct of ANSIEC and Anambra State Government as a criminal assault on due process and a rape of the Electoral Laws of the land, as well as unwarranted provocation of the law abiding members of Labour Party at large.
“In conclusion sirs, the Labour party family of Anambra State pledges to remain law abiding, even in the face of these glaring absurdities, illegalities and crass provocations and diligently commit to the legal pursuit of dismantling the sham branded Anambra L.G.A Council election via the law courts.
“And in good conscience, Labour party still appeals to ANSIEC and the Anambra State Government to save Anambra State the enormous resources clearly billed for wastage by jettisoning this ignoble proposed LGA Council election of 28″ September, 2024 and rather opt for a properly organized Anambra State Local Government Council election by a well prepared, ready and properly equip ANSIEC, that will be based on the rule of law and due process, in which all political parties and voters alike shall meaningfully and procedurally participate.
“Anambra state has absolutely nothing to lose by rescheduling this unacceptable and inglorious proposed sham called LGA Council election for a lawful and legal one to be conducted in the nearest future. Rather the state has so much to gain for it.
Also speaking, state secretary of the party, Barr Okoli Akirika said “During the 2023 election we heard of unknown bishops. We have also been hearing of unknown gunmen, and today through ANSIEC, we are hearing of unknown candidates.
“For purposes of clarity, the person published as candidates of Labour Party are not our members, they were not sponsored by us, and we had already told you people that we are not part of the election.”
