The Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has decided to withdraw from the upcoming local government elections set for September 28, 2024. The party expressed concerns over alleged irregularities in the election process, which they believe compromise its credibility. The decision to boycott the election was made during a stakeholders’ meeting where party members, led by Chief Basil Ejidike, raised issues regarding the constitution of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) and the election date announcement, citing violations of due process as outlined in the Electoral Act 2022.
Ejidike emphasized that participating in the election would be tantamount to endorsing illegality and stated that the APC would challenge the election process in court. The party’s Legal Adviser, Chukwunoso Chinweuba, confirmed that legal action had already been initiated to contest the entire local government election procedure, citing discrepancies between the ANSIEC Law 2024 and the Electoral Act 2022.
During the meeting, a moment of silence was observed in memory of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah from Anambra South Senatorial District. The APC reiterated its commitment to upholding democratic principles and announced plans to tour the 21 local government areas in preparation for the 2025 governorship election in the state. It is noteworthy that Anambra State has not conducted local government elections since 2014, with caretaker transition committees managing the local government areas for over a decade.