From the look of things, the scheduled September 28 Anambra local government elections may run into hitches.
There are possibilities of aggrieved political parties and even some individuals to go to court over the timeline which many of them have rejected as too short to prepare for the exercise.
In what seems to be a federal government disapproval for any state government conducting the council elections its own way is a recent move by the National Assembly to ensure a uniform electoral process in all the 36 states of the federation.
Details have been released, now trending on the social media, regarding the new Bill the Senate introduced on Thursday, according to the report, seeking to create an independent electoral body charged with the responsibility of conducting local government elections.
The Bill with the title,“Local Government Independent Electoral Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 531)”, was said to have been sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Sen. Sani Musa, (APC, Niger-East).
The Bill partly states: “The purpose is to establish the National Independent Local Government Electoral Commission (NILGEC) responsible for conducting elections to the office of the Local Government Chairman and Councillors, and any other matter thereof to do with local government as a third tier of government.
“The National Independent Local Government Electoral Commission (NILGEC) is hereby established as an autonomous body mandated to organize, oversee, and conduct elections for the offices of Local Government Chairman and Councillors across all states.”
The bill lists the functions and powers of NILGEC to include conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections for Local Government Chairman and Councillors.
It further states that the purpose of the Bill when passed into law is to prepare and maintain an accurate and up-to-date voter register; to ensure voter education and public awareness regarding the electoral process.
Others are to set and enforce electoral guidelines and regulations for local government elections; to recruit and train electoral officers and staff for efficient election management; and to monitor, supervise all electoral activities and processes; and to investigate as well as adjudicate electoral disputes and grievances.
According to the proposed legislation, NILGEC shall consist of a Chairperson and six Commissioners, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
It says, the Chairperson and Commissioners shall serve for a term of five years, renewable once.
On its independence and autonomy, the Bill states that NILGEC shall operate independently, free from external influence and interference.
It said the Commission shall have its own budget, approved by the National Assembly, to ensure financial independence.
On the electoral process and procedures, the Bill states that NILGEC shall develop and implement procedures for voter registration, candidate nomination, and the conduct of elections.
It states: “NILGEC shall ensure the provision of necessary electoral materials and logistics for the smooth conduct of elections.
“NILGEC shall announce the election schedule at least six months before the date of the election.
“Elections for the offices of local government Chairman and Councillors shall be conducted every four years.”
The Bill touched on electoral offenses and penalties, it explains that NILGEC shall define and enforce penalties for electoral offenses, including but not limited to voter fraud, ballot stuffing, and electoral violence.
“Offenders shall be prosecuted and punished in accordance with the laws of the land.
“NILGEC shall collaborate with other relevant government agencies, security forces, and civil society organizations to ensure a secure and credible electoral process.
“Upon the establishment of NILGEC, all powers and functions related to the conduct of local government elections previously vested in any other body or authority shall be transferred to NILGEC, ”it concludes.
With this arrangement ongoing, political pundits begin to question the rationale behind what some analysts describe as hazy-crazy rush by the Anambra State government to conduct the local government elections in barely one month of notice after about 11 years wait for a democratically elected council officials in the State.
“We must stop him by all means possible through voting his party out, “some opposition parties have vowed.
It is a clear fact that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA ) is now in the firm grip of Chief Edozie Njoku as the National Chairman of the party following a court victory which may have informed the rush by the Governor to avert the unknown.That, however, does not leave out a justifiability question.
As Prof Charles Soludo and his supporters decide on the party to use for the said upcoming September 28 council election, there are strong indications that they may no longer go with Social Democratic Party (SDP) as alleged in some quarters.
An unconfirmed source close to nijasun.com has just informed that there is a last minute renegotiation to move to Accord Party (AP) by the state to prosecute the local government poll.
