S’Court Judgment: Dissolve Transition C’ttee, Constitute Electoral Commission

 A Citizens’ advocacy group, Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONet) has urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to fully comply with the Supreme Court’s pronouncement by quickly conducting local government election in the State.

Leader of the foremost Non State Actors’ group Prince Chris Azor, made the Statement while reacting on the recent ruling of the Apex Court granting political and financial autonomy to local government Councils in Nigeria.

According to Comrade Azor, the Governor has no other choice than to immediately constitute Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) and give it the marching orders to conduct local government election within the next three (3) months”

He said, “The Citizens’ advocate further advised the Governor to dissolve the recently inaugurated Transition Committee structure and allow Heads of Administration in the various local councils to take over leadership temporarily, pending the conduct and operationalization of democratically elected local government administration.

“Any action to the contrary would amount to flagrant disobedience to the Apex court’s ruling, impunity and lawlessness.

“Obeying the Apex Court’s order will save the State from further opprobrium. Anambra has gained notorious and ignoble ranking as the State with the longest period in non conduct of local government election, since year 2014.”

Azor urged the Governor to uphold his hailing of the supreme court judgment, with a promise to abide by the rule of law.

“We may wish to remind the governor of the negative social and economic consequences of possible zero financial allocations to the masses, as a result of non compliance with democratic electoral process at the local government level,” he said.

Recall that, a Seven member panel of the Supreme Court in a judgement declared that State governments have no power to appoint caretaker Committees and that a local government is recognizable with a democratically elected Government.

The Apex Court also ruled that the use of caretaker Committees were unconstitutional and amounts to the State governments taking control in violation of the 1999 constitution (as amended)

The Supreme Court in the ruling said the judgment would take immediate effect.