The Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has withdrawn from the forthcoming local government election in the state.
The election is scheduled for September 28, 2024, and would be the first time in 11 years after the then-governor, Peter Obi, conducted it in the twilight of his administration.
The party said it did not only withdraw but has also dragged Governor Chukwuma Soludo and the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, ANSIEC and House of Assembly to court.
The state chairman of the party, Basil Ejidike, who addressed local government and ward party chairmen in Awka, said participating in the election would amount to legalising illegality.
Ejidike said the APC under his leadership would not be involved in the election because ANSIEC and the state governor, Chukwuma Soludo, are not ready to conduct the exercise in a free, fair and credible manner.
“The governor has already set up a tribunal at the Anambra State High Court, here in Awka for political parties that wish to challenge the outcome of the election.
“Governor Soludo is not transparently prepared to give Ndi-Anambra an accountable local government system.
“We are already in court to challenge the process, because APC, being a major opposition party in Anambra State, must try as much as possible to live by example. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Labour Party have also gone to court to challenge the irregularities; we applaud them,” he stated.
Ejidike, while urging members to remain focused, announced that the party will soon commence a tour across the 21 local government areas as part of preparation for the 2025 governorship election in the state.
The party held a minute’s silence in honour of the late Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, who was a frontline governorship aspirant of the party before his death.
