Obindigbo

The Edo State chapter of the Labour Party, on Friday, cleared controversies over the true ownership of 20 buses donated to the party by a governorship aspirant and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata.

The aspirant’s Olumide Akpata Campaign Organisation also claimed that the recently donated buses were for the party as against a statement that has gone viral in some sections of the media, which described the donation of the vehicles as a “Greek gift.”

The PUNCH reports that a “Greek gift” refers to a present or gesture that initially appears generous or beneficial but ultimately brings harm, trouble, or consequences to the recipient.

Akpata was accused of registering the vehicles in his name, and one of his promoters threatened to retrieve the vehicles if he (Akpata) did not get the governorship ticket of the party.

The statement alleged that “Akpata registered the vehicles in the name of a company called Zopaz Advisory Service, with a Lagos address, where he allegedly has an interest, instead of in the name of the Labour Party, Edo State.”

The statement also alleged that “he presented photocopies of the proof of ownership, held on to the original copies, and urged Akpata to follow the example of the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, who did not use his popularity to hijack the party but used it to push the party to a new status.”

But the state chairman of LP, Kelly Ogbaloi, when contacted, said, “Those vehicles were donated to the party by Akpata, and that is clear enough, and at that point of donation, they become the property of the party, notwithstanding those registrations that they are talking about.

“Yes, he may have purchased vehicles in his name initially, but now he has officially and legally transferred the ownership of those vehicles to LP as of today.”

In a Friday statement by the Director General of OACO, Toju David, the allegation was described as “poorly conceived and incoherent commentary issued by a faceless hack.”

He insisted that the allegations were false and disconnected from reality.

He said, “These rabble-rousers need not dig too deep to establish that Olumide Akpata has transferred title to all 21 vehicles purchased and donated to the Labour Party in Edo State.

“All 21 vehicles now legally belong to the Labour Party, Edo State, and not Olumide Akpata.

“Therefore, the ludicrous suggestion that Olumide Akpata will take back any of the donated vehicles if he fails to win the party’s nomination as its gubernatorial candidate amounts to nothing other than cheap and idle blackmail.

“Indeed, it is infantile and malicious to draw any conclusions regarding ownership of the vehicles by merely relying on documents procured at the point of purchase and, indeed, registration of the said vehicles. We urge any party member interested in determining the true ownership of the aforementioned vehicles to simply verify the same with the state secretariat.

“We reiterate that Olumide Akpata’s contributions towards building the party are by no means easy, yet they are necessary to bolster the party and position us for near- and long-term success.

“He made huge contributions to the campaigns of the majority of our candidates at the September 2023 local government elections; and donated a brand-new Toyota Hiace Bus to the state secretariat for party operations.

“He made a significant pledge towards the purchase of a new and befitting state secretariat; and visited all 18 local government secretariats, where he made further substantial contributions to the said secretariat and all 192 party wards.”

He urged other aspirants to join hands with Akpata to build the party rather than try to pull him down.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said Nigerian politicians must change their brand of politics and prioritise national interests to allow for development in the country.

Jonathan also stated that the country must avoid the “dangerous system” of “over-domesticating” government, but instead ensure that the right persons are put in the right places.

The former President made the statements on Tuesday at the public presentation of a book titled, ’Development as Attitude’, written by a former Minister of Budget and National Planning, Prof. Osita Ogbu.

“Our attitude as politicians matters towards our development. If we must develop, there are certain things, and we must make sure if it will go to every Nigerian, it goes to every Nigerian. If it will go to every community, it must go, to every state, local government, and so on. There are certain things we must know that this is for the national interest.

“As a country, if we must move forward, then our brand of politics must change. We must try to put the right pole in the right places. If we over-domesticate governance and say it must be my cousin or my nephew, then we run a dangerous system. So, attitude matters most in leadership, particularly political leadership,” Jonathan said.

On his part, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, highlighted the importance of qualitative governance over extended tenures in office.

“You can be in the office for a few months and do what is right.  It’s just that when things are going well, we have some people who are determined that we can’t have the right thing, and that’s what we all need to change.

“Even if you’re there for one day, you can impact for one day. Even if it’s one item; you can’t change everything, government is a continuum, so it’s not how long you stay. In fact, in some parts of the world like Africa, the more you stay, the more damaging it is,” Obi said.

In his vote of thanks, Prof. Ogbu called on leaders in the country to be agents of development, adding that members of the Senate and the House of Representatives must allow purposeful reviews of the budget to “create something that someone else can build upon.”

The Labour party presidential Candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, on Tuesday, visited Kaduna to commiserate with victims of the accidental bomb at Tudun Biri in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Obi, who called for the establishment of a foundation to take care of the orphans and victims of the attack, made a personal donation of N3m for the upkeep of the victims.

He also donated N1m to the health workers working in the hospital and another N1m for miscellaneous in the hospital, making a total of N5m.

He explained that the N1 million donated to the hospital management was for the 1,000 health workers working in the hospital to take care of the bomb victims.

According to  Obi, the orphans left behind should become the responsibility of the government.

Obi, who led a delegation to the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, to visit the victims, described the incident as “unfortunate” while calling on the  Federal Government and security agencies to ensure that such incidents never occur again in the country.

He said, “Bringing them (victims) and treating them in the hospital is one thing, but do we have the sustainable foundation to see especially the orphan children all through? We have somebody who lost 34 family members; do you know the trauma of that?

“The orphans, we must now join hands because they are now our children, our property; everybody must join hands to see them through. I, in particular, if I know the foundation is set up, I will contribute to it as long as it exists. It’s critical, it’s important.

“We are family; what happened might have happened somewhere where we think we are not from, but we are all family. I have always said the purpose of government is to take care of those in need.”

The PUNCH reports that the Nigerian Army claimed responsibility for the accidental bombing, which claimed over 100 lives.

Meanwhile, the Anglican Bishop of Wusasa Diocese, Zaria in Kaduna State, Most Rev. Buba Lamido, on Tuesday, cautioned the northern political elite against politicising  the Tudun Biri village incident.

Lamido expressed concern that northerners, especially politicians from the region eyeing 2027 polls, had started politicising the incident, a situation he described as worrisome.

A statement released in Kaduna on Tuesday, said, “The Anglican Bishop of Wusasa Diocese, His Grace Most Reverend Dr. Buba Ali Lamido,  has expressed deep grief over the accidental bombing at Tudun Biri village in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State that claimed over 85  lives and scores of injured people and worry at attempts by some religious groups to mischievously paint what was an accident as an agenda targeted at Muslims.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Muslims and Christians were killed in the attack, which the Nigerian Army has claimed responsibility for and duly apologised for.

“We northerners must be careful not demoralise the armed forces in the renewed war against the terrorists because the war is far from over. We know for a fact that war is a very human endeavor and mistakes inevitably will occur.”

A Labour Party governorship aspirant in the Edo State, Dr Dennis Aikoriogie, has resigned his membership of the party, alleging that some leaders were taking sides.

He expressed fear that they (the leaders) may not be fair during the party’s primary election, while also alleging that outsiders and moneybags have hijacked the party.

He also noted that people and others like him who have worked to make the party what it is today have been relegated to the background.

Aikoriogie, in a letter addressed to the LP Ward 9 Chairman in Egor Local Government and copied to the party’s national, state and local government chairmen, said he would pursue his political ambition elsewhere.

The letter read in part, “I hereby turn in my letter of resignation as a member of the Labour Party effective immediately.

“This is borne out of observed and perceived partisanship and bias of party executive in the build-up to the gubernatorial election in Edo State, many party executive members have co-opted themselves and have become an integral part of aspirant campaign organisations. This act is capable of not giving other aspirants a level playing field.

“I joined the Labour party solely because of Peter Obi who has a proven track record and exemplary lifestyle both in the public and private sectors. I felt the Labour Party could herald a new ideology and thinking about the way politics is played in Nigeria, this made me become the Global Coordinator of Diaspora Strong for Peter Obi, a support group that cut across all continents, it garnered financial, human, and material support at the national and presidential elections, as well as the state and federal legislative elections.

“In addition, the group provided financial support to the Lagos and Rivers governorship candidates in the persons of Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and  Beatrice Itubo respectively.

“I have observed my contribution to the party, before, during and after the presidential election is not appreciated, it is even more saddening that other aspirants and myself from the diaspora are sidelined.

“The aspirants who dictate the tune in the party are those who just joined the party, either from other parties or those perceived to be money bags. There is this erroneous impression that money only wins elections in Nigeria and that the credibility and acceptability of the candidate do not matter.

“It is on this premise and others that I am resigning from the party as I proceed with my political ambition elsewhere. I wish the party well in its future endeavour.”

Reacting to the allegation, the party’s state chairman, Kelly Ogbaloi, described the allegation as unsubstantiated, urging Aikoriogie to exit the party without making flimsy excuses.

He said, “I can tell you that the Labour Party will do what is right in my time as the state chairman. Where aspirants appreciate his incapacity to be in a contest, he should just go peacefully without making flimsy excuses that party leaders are taking sides.

“The statement he made is grossly unsubstantiated. He should be able to say which of these leaders is involved in this. If he brings that before us, we (the exco) will investigate and take necessary action.

“Our exco should not take sides. All the aspirants are equal in capacity for now until they go to the primaries and one of them emerges as the candidate. At the moment among all of them, no one is above the other. Is it right for leaders to support an aspirant? You can only support a candidate that emerges.

“I think Aikoriogie is grossly deficient in capacity. By this, I mean he can’t pull delegates to his camp and that is why he is coming up with these excuses that are not substantiated.”

In the aftermath of the recent accidental military air strike on Tudun Biri village in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called for an investigation into the bombing incident.

He also urged the Federal Government to allocate sufficient funding to the military and other security agencies to enhance their operational efficiency.

Obi conveyed this message during his visit to the victims at the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in the state capital on Tuesday.

Expressing concern, he noted that the nation has experienced 16 accidental military bombings resulting in over 500 casualties, yet no decisive action has been taken by the Federal Government to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.

The former governor of Anambra State stressed the need for the government to provide robust support to the military, emphasising that adequate funding is pivotal in addressing the contemporary and emerging security challenges facing the nation.

Obi also called for a thorough investigation into the military air strike and proposed the establishment of a foundation to assist the victims of the Tudun Biri drone attack, especially those who have been orphaned as a result of the incident.

VIDEO: Obi Visits Kaduna Air Strike Victims, Demands Probe

In the aftermath of the recent accidental military air strike on Tudun Biri village in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called for an… pic.twitter.com/pU8KurEpWB

— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) December 12, 2023

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]

The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has congratulated Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala on their  emergence as the 2023 African Players of the Year, in the men and women categories respectively.

The former Anambra State Governor also celebrated Chiamaka Nnadozie who bagged the 2023 Confederation of African Football Women’s Goalkeeper, and the Nigerian Female football team.

In a series of tweets on his X handle on Tuesday , Obi wrote, ” I like to join all other sports lovers in the country to sincerely congratulate the Nigeria duo of #victorosimhen9 and #AsisatOshoala for emerging African Players of the Year, in the men and women categories respectively this year.

“I also celebrate #Nadoziechiamaka who won the 2023 CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year Award and our Nigerian female football team, Super Falcons, who won the 2023 CAF award for the National Team of the Year.

“We are all proud of their awards, which bear witness to their innate talents, passions for growth, and determination for success.

“My sincere desire is that every Nigerian youth will have the needed enablement to explore and develop their talents, and skills and live to fulfill their dreams, and by so doing, help to contribute to the development of our nation.”

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]

The Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has urged Nigerian political leaders to shun corrupt practices. He noted that leaders engaging in corruption are setting bad precedents for the children.

Speaking about the reported high percentage of youths engaging in cybercrime, Obi also stated that the question to be asked was “Where the children are learning such criminality from, if not from us the parents, especially we the leaders.”

Reflecting on the International Anti-Corrption Day which was held on Saturday, the former Anambra State Governor in a long post on his X handle on Sunday partly wrote, “As the global community marked International Anti-Corruption Day yesterday, we need to soberly reflect on the effect of corruption in our society and on our country.

“Corruption has become the greatest threat to our national existence, especially our democracy, peace, and progress. It has immeasurably stunted our development as a nation.”

He added, “The gross abuse of the rule of law, and disrespect for our constitution are all resultant effects of the endemic corruption that has eaten through the fabric of our society.

“More sadly, is the fact that we the leaders, are not setting very good precedents for our children, by engaging in all forms of corrupt practices.

“The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, was recently reported to have lamented the huge percentage of Nigerian youths in cybercrime. The question we must all ask is where the children are learning such criminality from, if not from us the parents, especially we the leaders.”

He said that he remained committed to a Nigerian nation that would be free of corruption.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Norrison Quakers speaks to AYOOLA OLASUPO about the workload of the Supreme Court, and off-season elections in the country, among other issues

Do you think a decentralised Supreme Court can ease or reduce the workload of the apex court for the effective delivery of justice?

From the look of things, there is a need to amend the constitution in line with the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. It’s not all appeals that get to the Supreme Court in the civilized clime. Even in South Africa, some appeals will not go beyond the cupboard. The Supreme Court nowadays is a policy court that should be saddled with constitutional issues. We recall that some years ago, governorship petitions were terminated at the Court of Appeal. At that time, the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court had not been expanded to also hear appeals from Election Petition Tribunals as regards governorship elections.

So, we currently have appeals from Election Petition Tribunals to the Court of Appeal and then to the Supreme Court. That is one of the problems. The constitution has to be amended to ensure that the jurisdiction should be streamlined. If you look at the Nigerian constitution, we have the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. Some matters are settled and it is not every matter that should go to the Supreme Court. Where the issue of law is well settled, why must the Supreme Court hear everything? In other civilized climes, if the appeal is won where the issue is settled, you have to write a brief argument to convince the Supreme Court why a panel must be constituted to hear the appeal. A typical case is a case on injunction.

When you want to obtain an injunction, the Supreme Court has already laid the guidelines for what any court must look at for either granting or refusing an injunction. If the principles are applied and the applicant is found wanting, the injunction is refused. Why go on appeal? You appeal to the Supreme Court which has already laid down the guidelines or the procedures for the grant or refusal of the injunction. So, the problem is not in the rules or regulations.

We are our problems and the cause of our challenges. It is just unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this mess and that the burden of the Supreme Court is increasing by the day. Even if you increase the number of justices to 21, the court will still be overstretched. The constitutional number is 21. They (justices) increased the number to 21 because we are in a litigious society.

Do you think a specific number of cases should go to the Supreme Court to ease the backlog of cases currently at the apex court?

As I said, the only thing for that to work is the need to amend the constitution and this needs to be done to take certain powers away from the Supreme Court and limit it to the Court of Appeal, but Nigeria is also a unique environment in the sense that if for some reasons you suspect that the justice of the case has been mortgaged, how then do you review that decision? We live in a country where our system is prone to abuse. I hope you are aware that the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is well defined and oftentimes, it bothers on major constitutional matters involving a state and another state, the state, and the Federal Government. In other words, the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is as regards constitutional interpretation, and disputes between the federal and the state governments. So, it is well-defined.

There are suggestions that the Supreme Court should have divisions in the entire six geopolitical zones like the Appeal Court. What is your view on this?

Again, that is another problem. If you are going to suggest that the Supreme Court must have divisions, we have 36 states in the federation, and if you want to do it along the geo-political zones, what will then happen to the Courts of Appeal? What will happen to the number of justices? It will increase. When you have the financial capacity to cope and handle that, you will see how they do it in other civilized climes. I was privileged to appear in some matters in England, and to be candid, if you go on appeal in a manner that they consider to be frivolous, you will pay a humongous cost. You can also be recommended for disciplinary proceedings; for professional misconduct because some matters do not even need to go on appeal.

Some matters can even be terminated at the High Courts. Before you can cross the hurdle of the High Court to get to the Court of Appeal, you will sweat not to speak of getting to the Supreme Court. You can only go there under a special lane; so, you must convince the Court of Appeal what the issue is before you can take it to the Supreme Court because this is the policy court. At that level, you probably have academicians; those who are seasoned tutors of the law.

I will tell you why I believe strongly that the constitution should be amended. Now, if you go to the hierarchy of court, let’s look at Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, particularly Sub-section 5. It says that this section relates to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Court of Appeal, the Federal High Court, the National Industrial Court, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and the High Court of the states, the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the Sharia Court of Appeal of the states, the Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and the Customary Court of Appeal. Such other courts may be authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction at first instance or on appeal on matters concerning which a House of Assembly may make laws.

So, in this section of the constitution from sub-section 1, it talks about judicial power. The judicial powers are vested in this hierarchy of courts and at the top is the apex court; the Supreme Court of Nigeria. We should now go to the section creating the Supreme Court itself and the power vested in it. I’ll take you to Section 230 Chapter 7 which says there shall be a Supreme Court of Nigeria which shall consist of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, such number of the Justices of the Supreme Court not exceeding 21.

So, if you now decide to create divisions in the Supreme Court, whatever the divisions you create, the number of justices must not exceed 21. Now, how many appeals do we have? Where are all the appeals coming from? We have 36 states, the FCT, and the Federal Government of Nigeria. So, when you look at all of these provisions, you can see why the burden on the Supreme Court is heavy. Appeals from election petition tribunals as regards the presidential election, appeals from the Court of Appeal, the Federal High Court, the Court Marshal, and State High Courts will go to the Supreme Court. So, for us to ensure that the docket of the Supreme Court is free, there is a need to amend the provisions of the constitution. There is no doubt about it because the Supreme Court is overburdened and this burden has been placed upon it by the constitution.

Election outcomes have always been a bone of contention and the people have always said that the best way to tackle the issue is to amend the Electoral Act in such a way that the timeframe given to judges to address all litigation before the inauguration of winners will be increased. Do you think this is what the country needs at this point?

If you can use the procedures of the Electoral Act to guide yourself, you are meant to compare and contrast the results that your party agents have collected to know if they are the ones that were eventually announced. So, if I am going to the Election Petition Tribunal, I must check what I want to go there to establish. Kenya is not as populous as we are but their presidential election was quicker, and that impacted the tribunal hearing at least in Africa. So, if they can do it in Kenya and their constitution is similar to ours, I do not see why we can’t do the same.

If you’re saying that the person who won did not win, and mind you, qualification is based on facts guided by law. I will keep saying that if the law says you must do all of these within 180 days, from the period the result is around to when the court sits and the judgment is delivered, it is more than enough. I don’t think we should tamper with the provisions of the Electoral Act by expanding it.

Some people have also called for an end to off-season elections, claiming that such elections are unnecessarily wasting the country’s resources. Do you think it is realistic to put an end to off-season polls?

I see it as something that has come to stay, whatever way we see it. Let’s start with Senator Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State; when he was removed, his deputy stood in and became the governor, while he was still pursuing his appeal. After he was reinstated, he went back to court for the court to define the term but the court said to him that his deputy held up when he was removed and it was a joint ticket. Peter Obi, as governor of Anambra State; when he was removed by the Anambra State House of Assembly and challenged his removal, eventually he was reinstated.

The election was conducted and Andy Ubah won and was re-sworn as governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi went to court to get the court to define his tenure, and part of the argument that was put forth was that INEC was wrong to have organised the election when they knew that Peter Obi had gone to court for tenure determination. So, whatever INEC organised during that period was nothing but a sham, a waste of resources, and the office was not vacant. So, having this kind of situation can only happen when elections are being challenged. The only thing that we can do to avoid all of these is that until petitions are determined, the government remains in office and we’ve been given a timeframe. Swearing-in has now affected May 29; so, it (off-season election) has come to stay.

What can we do better in that regard, especially as it concerns conducting credible elections?

Over the years, we have come to experience voter apathy. People no longer vote because they feel that their votes will never count. Security agents have been paid to compromise, and INEC has been accused of not doing what they ought to do. There are some things we cannot let go. It has to do with our attitude and the system. Even if they put the law in place to say election riggers should be shot. When the immediate past President said anybody seen with an AK47 should be shot on sight, what happened? Nothing came out of it. Let’s be realistic because we need to talk to ourselves. As long as there are considerations like ethnic, religious issues, and so on, this will continue. If I’ve been benefitting from your government, do you think I will want you to be removed? All kinds of biases and prejudices will continue to impede growth and development.

Stakeholders, including monarchs, clerics and residents in Anambra State have expressed worry at the non-conduct of local government elections by the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, almost two years into his administration.

They lamented that the last time elections were conducted at that tier of government was during the closing stages of the administration of former Governor Peter Obi in 2014.

As a result, for over nine years now, the 21 local governments in Anambra State have been run by caretaker committee chairmen appointed by the governor.

The stakeholders, therefore tasked Soludo with the need to quickly conduct elections in local government areas in the state, adding that governance is suffering at the grassroots due to the non-elected officials.

The stakeholders stated this in Awka, on Saturday, during a forum organised by the International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre in collaboration with the African Centre for Leadership and Development.

Soludo had during the 2021 governorship campaign and even at swearing-in as governor on March 17, 2022, assured all that he would conduct local government election within six months in office.

However, the stakeholders, who were worried that the promise was yet to be fulfilled 21 months later, were unhappy that by January 2024, it would be exactly 10 years since the last local government election was conducted in the state.

A lecturer in the Mass Communication Department at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Henry Duru, while delivering his keynote address and lecture on the topic: ‘Strengthening accountability in governance and electoral process’, lamented that state governors, not only that of Anambra, have successfully cornered the local government system to their gains.

Duru said, “Conducting local government elections is a statutory thing, and it is enshrined in the constitution, and not something that any aspirant to a position should be promising anyone.

“The transition committee used by the governor to run the 21 local government areas is supposed to be a makeshift thing, pending election, but you now find out that they are almost permanent, and their tenures are renewed every three months. That is not right.”

Earlier, the Coordinator of the International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre, Chris Azor and the Director African Centre for Leadership and Development, Itia Otabor, said the forum was convened to brainstorm ways to push the government of Anambra State to hold local government polls.

Otabor said, “We are not appealing to the governor, we are only reminding him of what he should have done, which he hasn’t done. He is obligated to conduct local government elections because it is statutory.

“Our deliberation will not only be fruitful but a cornerstone towards the conduct of Local Government election in Anambra State. LG election is a constitutional matter not a favour. It is enshrined in s
Section 7 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The constitution stated that there must be democratically elected local government officers. We are here to rally around support and partnership to see it happen.”

Azor, on his part, observed that it was unfortunate that Anambra State was lagging without the conduct of the Local Government election.

“The LG election is very important. We want to encourage and suggest to the government how best to get it done. We are not partisans. Our philosophy is to put people at a stretch. Any government that takes care of the citizens and security have done a pass mark. And Local government election is one of the means of taking good care of the citizens because it encourages citizens participation in governance from the grassroots,” Azor noted.

The forum was attended by the representatives of the Anambra State government, traditional rulers, the Inter-Party Advisory Committee, the clergy, people with disabilities, journalists, civil society organisations and others.

A communique was issued at the end of the forum.

It partly reads, “There is the paramount need to organise local government elections in Anambra State. Governor Chukwuma Soludo promised to undertake local government elections within six months of being elected. If there is an impediment for Soludo not to organise the local government elections, he owes it as a duty to address the state on the matter.

“The first step towards having elections in the local government areas is instituting the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission. It is incumbent on Governor Soludo to duly institute ANSIEC. There is the question of how independent the ANSIEC is. The regular matter all over the country is that the party in power wins all the seats.

“Even so, the resolution is: Let there be the elections first. It needs reiteration that organising the local government election in Anambra State is long overdue. It is as though the third tier of government is dead. Local government workers only go to work when they like.”