Tony Okafor,Awka
The National Coordinator of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chinedu Obigwe, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the cause of non-conduct of local government election in Anambra State over the years.
Obigwe stated this on Tuesday at a press conference in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
Obigwe’s reaction followed the rebuttal by an APC Chieftain, Okelo Madukaife, last week, of the claim by the Anambra State Chairman of APGA, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, that the state government could not conduct Local Government elections in the state because of plethora of cases in court.
Rebutting Obi-Okoye’s claim, Madukaife said, “Obi-Okoye did not mention the parties,the subject matter of the suit(s), or the specific orders,if any, tying the hands of the Anambra State Government in conducting LG elections.
But at the press conference on Tuesday Obigwe said, “It’s a well known fact that the suit instituted by APC that was dragged to the Supreme Court is the clog on the wheels of Anambra State government desire to conduct local government election.”
Obigwe averred that if the APC was sincere to its clamour for the conduct of local government elections in the state, it should first withdraw the cases it instituted in that respect in the court so that the state government would no longer have any legal impediment in that direction.
He said,”Anambra APC cannot use litigation to stop Anambra State Government from conducting local government election and be acting as if they want the election to be conducted.
“Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye said the truth because he was among the lawyers defending APGA in the case.
“As long as the case is not yet decided by Supreme Court, any conduct of local government election in Anambra is an exercise in futility because it will be declared null and void at the end of the day.
“The problem with Okelo Madukaife is that he is insincere to himself on the issue of the nonconduct of local government election in Anambra.
“Governor Soludo is a believer of the rule of law and for that reason he will not indulge in a subjudice action.
Obigwe further chided Madukaife for calling Soludo’s government wasteful and colourless.
He said,”As for Okelo Madukaife reference to Governor Soludo government as colourless and wasteful, I will say that he spoke under the influence of a substance.
“In Anambra of today, Governor Soludo has drastically reduced the cost of governance and managing the lean resources at his disposal judiciously.
“Those working for Governor Soludo have accepted the reality that they are doing missionary work for the betterment of our state and not for personal gains.
“The resources accruing to Anambra State coffers are being channelled to projects being executed across the state by Governor Soludo administration.
Describing Madukaife’s outburst as laughable, Obigwe added, “If not for Governor Soludo judicious management of Anambra lean resources, he will not employ 5000 teachers and still be executing over 340km road projects across the state”.
