Soludo has broken the jinx and will make history as the first Anambra governor to conduct proper local government elections since 1999. Despite the initial schedule for the local government elections being around December, they were brought forward to September 28 due to a Supreme Court judgment mandating states without elected local government councils to conduct the elections.
During his 2021 gubernatorial campaign and on his inauguration day, Soludo assured Ndi Anambra that he would conduct proper local council elections within two years in office. Many doubted him, given that his predecessors failed to do so. The last local government elections in the state were held in 1998, with a mock election taking place in February 2014 as the governor was exiting office after 8 years in office.
Soludo has fulfilled his promise and unleashed the potential of governance at the local level. He has promoted accountability and transparency in government and has strengthened the law to facilitate the organization of the elections. Before his tenure, the local government system was non-functional, abandoned, and in ruins, with workers not showing up, pensioners owed unpaid pensions, and the welfare of local government staff neglected.
To address these issues, Soludo reviewed and amended the relevant laws to ensure autonomy in the local government system. He strengthened the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) Law and reformed the local government system. Additionally, he set up the ANSIEC Board following the enactment of the local government Electoral law, and the body has announced the date for the conduct of true, free, and fair elections in the state, scheduled for Saturday, September 28. Soludo’s commitment to grassroots governance and his actions for an effective local government system demonstrate his passion for fulfilling his electoral promises to Ndi Anambra.
BY IZUCHUKWU Adichie
