Barely few days to the local government election in Anambra State, 24 out of the 25 political parties that initially indicated interest to run for the election have backed out of the election, accusing the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, ANSIEC, of breaching the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The political parties which include the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, All Progressives Congress, APC, the Labour Party, LP, and the Progressives Peoples Alliance, PPA, contended that the state electoral commission failed to publish the names and particulars of the candidates of political parties for the January 11 2014 election in line with the provisions of the electoral law.
According to a resolution signed by the chairmen of the political parties under the umbrella of Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Anambra State chapter, they alleged that “the ANSIEC having failed and neglected to display the register of voters that will be used in conducting the purportedJanuary 11, 2014, local government council elections in Anambra State, to allow for claims and objections in line with the provisions of the Electoral Laws, is illegal and totally unacceptable.
“That failure and neglect by the commission to publish the names and particulars of the candidates of political parties for the January 11, 2014, local government council polls in Anambra State contrary to the provisions of the electoral law is also illegal and unacceptable.”
The ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, which is the only party campaigning for the election is still neck deep in internal crisis as the party is set to suspend those it called erring ward and local government chairmen of the party.