Awka, Nigeria(TheGavel) – The Anambra Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially rejected the results of the local government council elections held on Saturday, September 28, 2024. Chief Chigozie Igwe, the party chairman in Anambra, made this declaration in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Monday.
The election results were announced on Sunday night by Mrs. Genevieve Osakwe, the Chairman of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), who declared the chairmanship and councillorship candidates of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as winners across all 21 local government councils and 326 wards in the state. Osakwe described the elections as “free, fair, credible, and peaceful.”
However, Igwe vehemently disagreed with this assessment, labeling the electoral process a “charade.” He noted that unlike some other political parties that boycotted the elections, the PDP participated fully and is thus in a strong position to challenge the results. “They gave us one month to prepare for the election; within that period, we sold forms, screened nominees, conducted primaries, campaigned, and met all the conditions,” he stated.
He criticized the conduct of the elections, pointing out significant irregularities: “On election day, ANSIEC sent materials and officials to where they liked. No result was released anywhere, including Zikdton Primary School in Nza Ozubulu, where I voted. They conducted a charade in the name of an election, so we are rejecting whatever result they released.”
Igwe emphasized that the PDP is committed to ensuring that the autonomy of local government areas in Anambra is upheld and that local government funds are utilized appropriately for community development. “Local government autonomy has come to stay; we will ensure that any chairman who misuses local government money is prosecuted and sent to jail,” he asserted.
As the leading opposition party in Anambra, the PDP intends to advocate for the rights of the people and uphold the principles governing the various layers of government. “We are going to stand for the people and ensure that the principles of layers of government are respected,” Igwe concluded. (NAN)
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