Imminent Breakdown Looms For APGA In Anambra Local Government Elections

Imminent Breakdown Looms For APGA In Anambra Local Government Elections

Ahead of the Anambra State local government elections, the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is facing internal turmoil……CONTINUE READING 

The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) has announced its readiness to conduct the local government elections, the first in a decade since the last poll held under former Governor Peter Obi. The election is scheduled for September 28.

Residents of Anambra have long demanded local government elections to empower grassroots governance. However, there have been numerous complaints from political parties, including the Labour Party (LP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), about the election process. Some parties have threatened to boycott the elections or take legal action against the state government.

APGA, the ruling party, is also experiencing significant internal strife. The party is divided between factions, with the Edozie Njoku faction challenging the legitimacy of the party leadership under Governor Chukwuma Soludo and Barr Sly Ezeokenwa, the national chairman. The Njoku faction, citing a Supreme Court ruling, has established its own party secretariat in Anambra, separate from the Soludo-Ezeokenwa faction’s headquarters at Udoka Housing Estate.

The Njoku faction’s secretariat has been busy with aspirants picking up forms for local government positions. However, the Anambra State government recently sealed off their office, citing its use as a residential building rather than a party headquarters. The Njoku faction has accused the government of political intimidation.

In a recent twist, the Ezeokenwa faction has restricted the sale of forms for local government positions, distributing only 21 forms to transition committee chairmen, who will automatically become candidates. This has sparked discontent among other aspirants, who feel sidelined by the process.

Governor Soludo has downplayed the crisis within APGA, describing it as a minor family dispute that will be resolved soon. He emphasized that APGA remains strong and committed to the development of Anambra State, despite the current internal disagreements.