The Anambra State chapter of Labour Party (LP) on Friday said it would approach a court of competent jurisdiction to challenge the preparations and guidelines of the September 28, 2024 State Local Government election.
The party, after a meeting of its State Working Committee (SWC) held at Awka, Anambra State capital, told journalists that they would be approaching the court due to some observed irregularities in the planned election, including the amended Anambra State electoral law and non-budgetary allocation for it in the 2024 appropriation.
The LP State Publicity Secretary, Engineer Theo Egbe, while reading the position of the party and flanked by other State executives, chairmen of the party’s 21 LGAs (Local Government Areas) and 326 electoral wards, however, explained that the party was getting prepared to participate in the election “once the right and lawful things are done, and without prejudice to the outcome of the judicial proceedings pending before the court.”
“After careful study of the amended Electoral Law by the State House of Assembly, LP have resolved (i) to approach the Court to challenge some of the obnoxious clauses in the hastily amended laws however, (ii) we enjoin our teeming members at the grassroots to prepare and be ready for further instructions while we work assiduously to affirm our party’s final position within the coming days,” he added.
Also speaking, the State Secretary of the Party, Barrister CJ Okoli-Akirika Esq, enumerated some key provisions the party would challenge in the Anambra State amended electoral law to include sections attempting to regulate the conduct and management of political parties, political party dispute and results collation.
“There are outstanding provisions that purported to regulate the conduct and management of political parties. There are also those dealing with dispute in political parties and collation of results. We will challenge these and other unbridled illegality which are in direct conflicts with new National Electoral Act,” he noted.