By Tony Okafor, Awka
In a move to clarify the tenure of local government officials, the Anambra State House of Assembly has amended the State Electoral Law for the third time this year.
The amendment, passed during plenary on Thursday pegged the tenure of Local Government Chairmen and Councillors to two years.
According to Obi Nweke, Chairman House Committee on Public Petitions, the amendment was necessary to avoid a lacuna in the future and ensure clarity in the local government system.
The new law, cited as Anambra State Electoral Law No 3 2024, takes effect on September 12, 2024, just 16 days before the scheduled local government elections on September 28, 2024.
The amendment inserts a new subsection 4 into Section 110 of the Principal Law, dissolving the local government council at the expiration of a two-year period, commencing from the date of inauguration.
This means that both Chairmen and Councillors will serve a uniform two-year term, unlike the previous law which specified only the Chairman and Deputy’s tenure.
Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Somtochukwu Udeze, presided over the plenary, which completed the three readings of the bill in one day, in line with the Standing Order of the House.
The amendment aims to avoid ambiguity and unnecessary litigations in the local government system.
