Anambra to hold LG polls Sept 28 — first in 10 years

The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) has fixed September 28 to conduct elections in the 21 LGAs in the state.

In a statement on Monday, Genevieve Osakwe, chairperson of ANSIEC, said the election timetable would be released on August 14.

“The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission wishes to inform all registered political parties and the general public that local government elections in the state will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2024,” the statement reads.

“Election Timetable/Schedule of Activities and other details can be collected from the Headquarters of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, Awka, from Wednesday, 14th August, 2024.”

Anambra last held the LG election in 2014 at the twilight of the administration of Peter Obi when he was the governor of the state.

Successive administrations in the state have installed caretaker committees to oversee the LGAs in Anambra.

However, the July 11 verdict of the supreme court mandated the federal government to pay allocations directly to local councils.

The apex court also ordered the federal government to withhold allocations of LGs governed by unelected officials appointed by the governor.

On August 6, Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, swore in the chairperson and members of the ANSIEC.

Soludo said the 1999 Constitution and the Anambra state electoral law mandated ANSIEC to conduct the LGA election “transparently and independently”.

The governor asked the ANSIEC members to serve with honour and integrity in an exemplary way that will highlight the Anambra ethos as “the light of the nation”.