Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha

A human rights group, Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) has called on governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State to reconstitute the State Independent Electoral Commission to immediately conduct long overdue local government elections in the state or face the wrath law.

The group urged Obiano to earnestly commence processes towards conduct of free, fair and credible local government election in order to return long elusive but much cherished democratically elected officials at the grassroots in order to bring governance nearer to the people.

The Chairman of CLO in Anambra State Mr. Vincent Ezekwueme in a statement said that the call for the conduct of the election was in tandem with the constitution, electoral act and landmark Supreme Court judgement that Local Government officials must be govern by elected officials.

“It is incredible but existential reality that Anambra State is the only state in the federation that has conducted election once in 11th January 2014 by former governor Peter Obi administration since the inception of current democratic dispensation on May 29th, 1999.

“Significantly in more than 21 years of our democratic experience Anambra State has conducted election once and CLO since 2016 when the tenure of last elected local government officials elapsed we have been in the vanguard for agitation for conduct of Local Government election in the state in line with our constitution that election must be periodically conducted at the local government level.

Related News

“Worthy of note is that transition committee of Caretaker committee is alien to Nigerian constitution and State House of Assembly should leave no stone unturned to protect, safeguard and defend local government system.

“They should empower and encourage the governor to conduct local government election and desist from continuous extension of tenures of Transition Committee Members.

“It is of great relevance to note that enthronement of democracy at the grassroots will certainly bring governance nearer to the people, reduce unemployment, encourages political participation, adequate harnessing of natural resources and proper utilisation of comparative advantages at local level.

“It is very unfortunate non conduct of Local government election is not only unconstitutional, denial of democracy at grassroot, it also breeds corruption, lack of accountability and good governance. Most importantly it has retarded and still retarding development and negates the good intentions of military government of then General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1976 for establishing reformed Local Government System in Nigeria.

“Governor Obiano as a beneficiary of democratic process should spare no effort to enthrone democratic governance at the grassroots as greatest democratic dividends to the grassroot in particular and Anambra State in general” Ezekwueme warned.