~ Send ANSIEC bill to House of Assembly
A bill for a law to establish the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission and for connected purposes 2024 has passed through second reading at the floor of the state Assembly.
The Executive bill which was presented before the house by the majority leader, Mr Ikenna Ofodeme will enable and empower the executive arm of government to conduct local government election in the area when passed into law.
According to Mr Ofodeme, the bill which has about 110 clauses will no doubt assist the state to address the interest of both the government and those that are not in government.
Correspondent Uche Ndeke reports that there have been public calls and discussions in the public space recently on the need for the administration of governor Chukwuma Soludo to conduct local government election as promised during his inaugural speech on March 17th 2022.
Leading the debate for the consideration if the bill for a second reading,the Majority Leader Mr Ofodeme said the governor has shown that he is willing to conduct a free and fair local government election in the state by sending in the electoral bill to the state house of Assembly.
Supporting the motion, Mr Patrick Okafor representing Onitsha North 2 noted that with the clauses in the bill, the governor has shown that he is poised to provide dividends of democracy to the grassroots through a democratically elected government which the people have been yarning for.
The member representing Ogbaru constituency 1, Mr Noble Igwe who noted that the law makers had been working on the bill for the past six months to ensure that the Commission is empowered properly to conduct a credible Local government election in the state.
For her part, Lady Nkechi Ogbuefi representing Anaocha constituency 1, Mr Emmanuel Nwafor representing Orumba South Constituency said the executive arm coming up with the bill shows that the governor is willing to keep to his words to conduct local government elections withing two years into office and also to empower those at the grassroots.
The Member representing Nnewi North constituency, Mr Augustine Ike and Mr Patrick Udeoba representing Anambra West constituency observed that the bill when passed will be a model for the conduct of local government elections not just for the state but for the country at large as it tried to capture parts of the 2022 electoral act of Nigeria.
Mr Obi Nweke representing Anambra East Constituency and his Aguata constituency One counterpart, Mr Anayo Okpalaeke while describing the bill as timely, noted that it is an indication that the government is ready and willing to do the needful which is in the best interest of the those at the grassroots.
The Speaker of the House, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze who presided over the plenary, said the law makers will not hesitate to do the needful to support the executive arm in its zeal to deliver the promises made to the people even as he called on members to kindly go through the bill before the final reading and passage.
