FRONT PAGE EDITORIAL: Supreme Court: Soludo, history beckons, don’t be silent, honour your promise on LG polls now

By Tony Okafor

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on local government allocations is a clarion call to action for Anambra State.

The court’s decision to withhold federal allocations until democratic local government elections are conducted is a significant blow to the state’s finances, but also a golden opportunity for the governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo to fulfill his long-standing promise to the people.

In his inauguration speech on March 17, 2022, Governor Soludo vowed to conduct local government polls within two years. That promise remains unfulfilled, and the state has continued to operate without democratically elected local government officials since 2014.

The Supreme Court’s ruling is a stark reminder that the time for excuses is over.

Governor Soludo, the people of Anambra State are waiting. They are waiting for you to honour your promise, to respect their democratic rights, and to restore the autonomy of local government councils.

Conducting local government elections is not only a legal imperative but also a moral obligation. It’s time to break free from this cycle of dependency and empower local governments to take ownership of their affairs.

Local government councils should be the bedrock of grassroots development, but they have been rendered impotent by the state’s refusal to conduct elections.

This has led to lack of accountability, inefficiency, insecurity and stagnation in the state’s development.

We urge Governor Soludo to seize this moment, to demonstrate his commitment to democratic governance, and to conduct local government elections in Anambra State without further delay.

The people are watching, and history is waiting to be written. It’s time for the governor to choose between fulfilling his promise and perpetuating a legacy of democratic neglect.

Mr Governor, history beckons, don’t be silent, honour your promise now.