By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

There are signs that Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo may conduit Local Government elections in the state soon.

This is coming on the heels of the passage of a law to establish the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission and for connected purposes 2024.

The bill which was presented to the Assembly by the majority leader, Hon Ikenna Ofodeme has passed through second reading at the floor of the House.

The Executive bill if passed will enable and empower the executive arm of government to conduct local government election.

According to 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.

Recall that there have been public calls and discussions in the public space recently by individuals and political opponents for the administration of governor Chukwuma Soludo to conduct local government election as promised during his inaugural speech on March 17^th 2022.

Leading the debate for the consideration of the bill for a second reading, the Majority Leader said the governor has shown his willingness 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 constituency 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 yearning for.

On his part, the member representing Ogbaru constituency 1, Mr Noble Igwe noted that the lawmakers 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.

The duo of Lady Nkechi Ogbuefi representing Anaocha constituency 1, Mr Emmanuel Nwafor representing Orumba South Constituency said that the executive arm coming up with the bill shows that the governor is willing to keep to his words to conduct local government elections within two years of his administration and also to empower those at the grassroots.

The Member representing Nnewi North constituency, Augustine Ike and 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.

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