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By Madu Obi
The Anambra House of Assembly has amended the State Electoral Commission and Local Government Laws ahead of the September 28 local government election in the state.
The amendments passed through the first, second and third readings the same day with virtually no opposition.
The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission has fixed the local government poll for September 28.
The amendment bills were sponsored by the majority leader, Mr Ikenna Ofodeme (APGA) representing Ekwusigo constituency, and Mr Chukwunonso Igwe (PDP) representing Ogbaru 1constituency.
Part of the amendment shows that nomination of candidates shall be conveyed to the Commission and can only be entertained if it was signed by the Anambra chairman and secretary of the political party elected at a congress monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, or where there was no such Congress.
Christened Anambra State Electoral (Amendment No. 2) it also provides that the national chairman and secretary of the political party shall be those elected at the Convention of the party monitored by INEC.
The Assembly also passed Local Government (Amendment No. 9) Bill, 2024 which expunged all sections and clauses relating to conduct of election at the local government levels in the previous law.
Dr Somto Udeze, The Speaker of the House, Dr. Tochukwu Udeze said the amendment took effect on Aug. 13, 2024.
The September 28 poll and the amendment of the laws governing it had caused disquiet among political parties in the state.
The state executive committee of the Labour Party met to discuss the development, although the outcome of the meeting was not made public.
It was gathered that most of the serving local government caretaker committee chairmen and councillors are already positioning themselves to contest the election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
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