The Anambra State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has strongly condemned the upcoming local government elections, set for September 28, 2024, calling it a “fraud” and “offensive” to the principles of free and fair elections. The party specifically rejected the inclusion of individuals associated with the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as alleged Labour Party candidates.
In a statement released by the LP’s State Publicity Secretary, Theo Egbe, the party accused the Anambra State Government and the State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) of manipulating the election process by presenting APGA members as Labour Party candidates. The party claims this move undermines the electoral process and breaches electoral law.
The Labour Party reiterated its decision not to participate in the local government election, describing the process as illegal and compromised. “Our position of non-participation has been officially communicated to ANSIEC and the people of Anambra State,” the statement read. The party insists that it neither sold nomination forms nor conducted primary elections, making the appearance of Labour Party candidates on ANSIEC’s list both fraudulent and misleading.
The LP emphasized its commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process, stating that it has filed a court case (A/265/2024: Labour Party vs. Anambra State House of Assembly & Others) challenging the legality of the election. The party claims that the election violates the Electoral Act of 2022 and is being conducted without adherence to due process.
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The Labour Party condemned ANSIEC for allegedly colluding with the Anambra State Government to include APGA members as Labour Party candidates. The statement specifically mentioned names like Nwafor Chinonso, the Transition Chairman for Orumba North LGA, and other known APGA loyalists. “It is criminally absurd that ANSIEC would present these individuals as Labour Party candidates when the party never conducted any primaries or submitted any candidate lists,” the party asserted.
In light of the controversy, the Labour Party has called on the Anambra State Government to postpone the election. According to the party, postponing the election would allow for a transparent and legitimate process where all political parties could participate fairly. “Anambra state has nothing to lose by rescheduling this flawed election. A lawful election process should be organized in the future,” the statement concluded.
Despite its strong opposition to the current election process, the Labour Party reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful and lawful actions as it seeks to address what it considers a significant breach of electoral laws.
